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First 90 Days — Moving to Texas for Retirement

The complete checklist for a smooth transition to Sun City Texas, Kissing Tree, or any Austin-corridor 55+ community — administrative, financial, and practical

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Week 1 — The Paperwork That Cannot Wait

  1. Begin Form 50-114 (Homestead Exemption): Start the process immediately after closing. File with Williamson CAD (Georgetown) or Hays CAD (San Marcos). Over-65 exemption and school tax freeze activate upon approval.
  2. Update your mailing address: USPS mail forwarding from your prior address, plus update Social Security Administration, Medicare, bank and investment accounts, and insurance policies to your new Texas address.
  3. Contact your community association: Register for key fobs and amenity access at the community office. Required before using fitness centers, pools, or event spaces.
  4. Verify your homeowners insurance is active: Confirm your policy is in place and reflects the Texas property. Get quotes from Texas insurers — your prior state's carrier may not cover Texas properties efficiently.

Month 1 — Establish Texas Legal Residency

  1. Texas Driver's License: Visit a Texas DPS office within 90 days. Required for homestead exemption — the license must show your Texas property address. Bring your current out-of-state license, Social Security card, and two proofs of Texas residency (utility bill, bank statement, or lease/deed).
  2. Vehicle registration: Register Texas vehicles within 90 days of establishing residency. Annual vehicle registration in Texas includes state inspection. Georgetown/Georgetown area: Williamson County Tax Office. San Marcos area: Hays County Tax Office.
  3. Texas voter registration: Register to vote in Texas if desired. Williamson County Elections (Georgetown) or Hays County Elections (San Marcos). Can be done online via the Texas Secretary of State website.
  4. Medicare plan evaluation: If you recently moved to Texas, you have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans to options available in your new county. Compare plan options at Medicare.gov for Williamson or Hays County specifically — plans and networks differ from your prior state.
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Month 2 — Healthcare and Financial Setup

  1. Establish a primary care physician: Do not wait until you need one. Call Georgetown-area or San Marcos-area primary care practices and get on the new patient schedule immediately — wait times for new patients can be 4–8 weeks.
  2. Identify specialist replacements: For any ongoing specialist care (cardiologist, orthopedist, oncologist, etc.), identify Austin or San Antonio area replacement practices and initiate records transfers.
  3. File homestead exemption (if not done week 1): April 30 deadline for current year. Late filing accepted up to 2 years retroactively.
  4. Update estate documents: Texas community property and homestead laws differ from most states. Consult a Texas estate planning attorney to update your will, power of attorney, and healthcare directive under Texas law.

Month 3 — Community Integration

  1. Attend the New Residents Welcome event (monthly at Sun City Texas; similar at Kissing Tree)
  2. Join two to three clubs — choose based on genuine interest, not breadth
  3. Attend a community HOA board meeting — understanding HOA governance helps with future decisions and builds community connection
  4. Establish a relationship with a local Texas CPA for first-year Texas tax filing and exemption confirmation
The most common regret from new Texas residents: not filing the homestead and over-65 exemptions immediately. One missed tax year without the exemptions costs $3,000–$5,000 in property taxes that are not recoverable for that year (the retroactive window covers prior years, not the current year after the deadline passes). File week one.

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