Brickbat: You Can Check Out Any Time You Like, but You Can Never Leave
California's Franchise Tax Board says a family who moved to Florida in 2021 may still owe state income taxes. Hari Raghavan and Mitali Gala received a letter in January 2026 asking for receipts, canceled checks, and a "narrative of the circumstances" of their move to show they actually left the state when they say they did. The couple said they put their California house on the market but couldn't sell it right away, and even though it didn't sell until 2022, they insist Florida became their home in 2021. On social media, Raghavan says he's frustrated by demands like providing a moving inventory list. The board says it audits residency cases to enforce rules that people who live and earn money in California for at least nine months a year must pay state taxes, and these reviews usually take 18 to 24 months.
