montana car registration loophole californiamontana car registration loophole california

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Copyright 2023 Anderson Advisors. "My car was stolen and the insurance company won't pay me." Good news: if you fail the smog check, you get to spend more money. A great and logical question. This part of the smog check process is somewhat painless. It's a strategy that you can agree with or not.. He resides on a small farm in Eastern Kansas where he (sometimes) enjoys fixing ancient farm equipment. Of course not! He spent over 13 years in the U.S. Air Force as a crew chief, assigned to the B-1B Lancer, affectionately known as the Bone to those in the community, and the KC-135R Stratotanker. To register them elsewhere is to effectively cheat the system that California officials set in place to help reduce air pollution for all. They said that lots of expensive cars have Montana plates, and its all part of a tax scheme. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. In the end, I dont recommend anyone doing this. HELOC Taxes and What Does It Mean for Your Wallet? No, You Shouldnt Incorporate And Register Your Car Tax-Free InMontana, Chicago Will Have The Highest Sales Tax In The U.S. At 10.25%, States Hungry For Online Sales Tax Looking At Challenge To South Dakota Law, 5 Ways To Improve Your Finances With Minimal Effort, Beverage Industry Takes Philadelphia To Court Over Soda Tax, Oregon Testing Pay-Per-Mile System As An Alternative To States Gas Tax, College-Bound Students Can Fill Out Their FAFSA Forms 3 Months Earlier Starting NextYear, Michigan lemon law attorney Steve Lehto explains, The Pitfalls Of The Montana License Plate Scam. Some states are taking measures to crack down on residents who set up shell corporations in other states, including suing for tax evasion. You must be logged in to perform that action. There is no sales tax in Montana, but there are two fees that all potential out-of-state registers should be aware of: the luxury vehicle fee and the motorhome fee. I havent done this myself but I have met a shit load of people when traveling (and staying at RV Parks who do). Though we find it hard to believe, the report claims that there isn't an exact figure that shows how much extra money the South Dakota Department of Revenue has earned from this practice, as the registration fee varies based on vehicle age, type, and weight class. The same logic applies to registration in other states of convenience as well. Theres a couple of reason why you shouldnt do this: The IRS knows about this scheme and will say, Nice try, but no.. You neednt even set foot in the state. This will allow you to save a ton of money in sales tax, especially if you purchase a very expensive vehicle. What was once a blue-collar state that made its mark on the world by producing things then transitioned to the mecca of technological development. Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm PST. First, Montana has long been known for its lax approach to driving laws, most memorably the brief period where the interstate had no speed limit. We may earn a commission from links on this page. But this is not limited to fast cars and expensive motorhomes. The Montana vehicle registration process has been generating buzz for years; it is nothing new. Local taxes and fees now total $4453. $35,000-$59,999: $165. License plate number. 2022 Dirt Legal. No need to spend hours finding a lawyer, post a job and get custom quotes from experienced lawyers instantly. You pay no sales or use tax and then bring your car to whatever state you live in and drive the vehicle with tax-free impunity. It really is that simple. In summary: try being honest and paying the taxes you owe. I thought sales tax was based on where the vehicle gets registered. Oh, thats interesting, I thought. Despite the initial investigation taking place in 2018, the practice is very much so alive and well today. I use South Dakota through Americas Mailbox. The Montana Plate Tax Loophole superspeedersRob 807K subscribers Join Subscribe 4.7K 214K views 5 years ago Its easy to get angry and rich people who look like they aren't paying their fair. We don't believe that its for us to lecture that person to do that or not. If this worked, wouldnt everyone register their car in Montana? FerrariChat.com has no association with Ferrari S.p.A. 2023 FerrariChat. For vehicles that are five to ten years old the registration fee is $87. I don't like the waiting time either as it's wasting time for us. Depending on where youre at, it might seem like you see a disproportionate amount of Montana license plates. No, You Shouldn't Incorporate And Register Your Car Tax-Free In Montana 9.14.15 4:48 PM EDT By Laura Northrup @lnorthrup Car ownership is fun and convenient, but paying sales tax, use tax, or. There are also some areas of the state that have affordable housing, but the cost of auto registration and fees are primarily unchanged from the far costlier areas of the state. We have thoroughly discussed the glaring problems with California and its automobile registration process, which are numerous. If you decide to go however, you can stay one night, and have your ID and plates in hand. Or you could tell them anything other than the previous parenthetical sentence, which would be a lie. Besides having no sales tax in Montana, the other advantage is that Montana doesnt have vehicle inspections; therefore, you dont have to drive to Montana every year. Individuals must bring their title and proof of vehicle sale to the county treasurer's office for Montana car registration regardless of the desired registration period. Of course we'll pay some ridiculous price for insurancebut we'll still save money in the end compared to renting. Seems I can do everything by mail from a company like Americasmailbox. Thats a whole truck! But what happens when you cross streams? Not break the law because you dont agree with it. (Ritholtz also hosts the Masters in Businessshow on Bloomberg Radio. We will renew your Montana MVD registration the same day you place an order and overnight your new registration papers and stickers the same day. The scam works like this: You hire a Montana law firm to form a corporation or limited liability company (LLC) for you. For somewhere around 1200$ there would be nothing to do from our side except fill out a form. Yes. I'm an American citizen but have lived abroad the past 7 years. The Montana LLC comes with real business responsibilities. Toby teaches extensively throughout the US to groups of investors and professionals, with many of his courses certified for continuing education credit for legal, accounting, and real estate professionals. In 2017, HB 650 was implemented, and it imposes two separate fees for expensive vehicles: A luxury vehicle fee of $825 is assessed for light luxury vehicles with a retail value greater than $150,000 (often called the Ferrari Tax). Heres how it works: you pay a few hundred bucks to a law firm in Montana to register a limited liability corporation. Re: your last statement move somehwere that isnt a shithole. Vehicles 4 years old and under: $217. Here is the breakdown of the California fee structure associated with your car or truck registration: Transportation Improvement Fee (TIF), which is based on your vehicle value: So, for your very-average priced new car, you can go ahead and tack on an additional $253 in assorted California registration fees. None. However, Montana isn't currently cracking down on shell corporations set up for the sole purpose of purchasing vehicles in the state because state law doesn't require someone to specify the LLC business purpose when they register the LLC. They create an LLC in Montana and then buy and register the vehicle in the LLC's name. Now, you can look into registering your next vehicle in a sales-tax-free state with low licensing fees and no inspection requirements saving you hundreds of thousands in the long run. You might never get in an accident. Still, many people are willing to risk taking advantage of this loophole in the law. I use zen business. There are a few key reasons why Montana plates keep popping up, and it is not your imagination. We focus on setting up LLC's and how they can save you money. So, for your very-average priced new car, you can go ahead and tack on an additional $253 in assorted California registration fees. Especially if you are using a Montana LLC? If the insurance company finds out what you are up to, they can deny your claim because you have a Montana-registered vehicle while driving 100% in California. Here you can find 12 years worth of articles on everything from how to avoid dodgy scams to writing an effective complaint letter. I can't figure out if that is needed before the registration can happen or if it's when you want to get your SD driver's license eventually. The LLC registers and plates the vehicle in Montana. No compulsory annual safety inspections. The current rates for registration in Montana are: Vehicles less than four model years: $217. Both my husband and I have a German and International Driver's license. Well, what kind of insurance do you need if you are registering you whip out of state? He resides on a small farm in Eastern Kansas where he (sometimes) enjoys fixing ancient farm equipment. Any other periods of time should be multiplied or pro-rated according to the time period for which the vehicle will be registered. 5 Star Registration includes all these fees in our service. We aren't so concerned about those costs when you consider that renting an RV for this duration would be around 40k. Thanks for subscribing. Weve got plenty of those. DIRTLEGAL.COM IS A PRIVATELY OWNED WEBSITE AND IT IS NOT OPERATED BY ANYGOVERNMENTAGENCY. 3 min read. Make sure to check out the whole series! This website may supply general information about the law but it is for informational purposes only. I use option 3. Visit our FAQ to jumpstart your journey! You get a Skoolie-toy hauler hybrid that has no name. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb. For what its worth. Montana offers two significant benefits. I read an article recently that Massachusetts conducted police patrols in RV parks flagging folks with Montana plates. Share it with your network! Since it has an entirely legitimate South Dakota title, you are not beholden to Californias asinine rulings regarding having a valid smog check at the time of sale. The maximum vehicle size in Montana is 102 inches wide, 14 feet tall, and 55 feet long for a single vehicle. Can be from a hotel or campground. Otherwise move. You own the LLC outright. The broader answer to this question is no, registering a vehicle in Montana is not just for the super-rich. There is also the misconception that only rich people can get a Montana registration or benefit from having one. Want more consumer news? Okay, so back to the exotic cars. In 2021, fully 10% of all McLaren P1s ever madecars worth well over $1 million apiecewere registered in Montana,accordingto the Montana DMV. South Dakota - Also read a lot about this. Car ownership is fun and convenient, but paying sales tax, use tax, or personal property tax on your car is expensive and annoying. Its like the Cayman Islands for car registrations. https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/wiki/index, Press J to jump to the feed. You might be passing for the first year or two, and it still might be a reasonably expensive used vehicle, and you end up flunking the smog check while you are still making payments, and you had a big tax bill laid on you when you bought it. Steve Lehto has been practicing law for 23 years, almost exclusively in consumer protection and Michigan lemon law. This is where you may want to go ahead and consider an out-of-state registration for your car that is aging, particularly if you are getting to that eight-year-old mark where you can no longer pay extortion fees to get out of smog checks. FWIW, CA is not unique. Also, there are no inspections of any kind in South Dakota. According to a 2018 report by the Rapid City Journal, when an expatriate named Aldis Barsketis emigrated from the United States to Mexico, he noticed there was an astounding number of cars sporting South Dakota tags. The people who have Montana license plates are like the people who put the fake handicap badges in their car, says Paul Zuckerman, an attorney in Los Angeles and avid car collector. What about all those cars in California that drive around without any plates? Many collectable cars are denoted as gross polluters in the state of California and do not pass emissions tests. Dirt Legals Montana Vehicle Registration Service is just right for you if you are looking for a new car, truck, motorhome, or even a used one. Limited-Time offer: FREE (a $750 value. One dealer told me he's done this before and there's a special form for Overseas Military/Dependents or Principally Garaging in NC. You may also have noticed quite a few South Dakota license plates, which is not a coincidence. Montana residents do not have to pay the sales tax on their vehicles. This does not include the California car registration fees, nor does it include the smog check. And it has attractedplenty ofdetractors. I found myself in Salt Lake City and saw the same thing. Awesome? Penalties for Vehicles Registered in California Can Dirt Legals services work for you? By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. All told, light vehicle registrations contributeroughly 4% of total revenue collections for the state, according to the primer. So we are both non-residents. Dont buy a motor home, luxury car, boat or plane! For example, some of these Ferrari 488 Pistas and a variety of Lamborghinis have been spotted cruising around in Mexico with South Dakota and Montana license plates recently. The only. If your name not the LLC name is on the title (likely because you bought it before forming your LLC), you'll have to establish a chain of ownership. One of the most common questions when registering a vehicle under an LLC in Montana is about vehicle inspections. Date and time the vehicle was observed. Toby is an attorney on a mission to help investors and business owners keep and grow more. In addition, the smog check requirements linger; even if you live in remote and rural Northern California with practically no population density, you are still liable for all of the exact draconian smog check requirements. As noted, this maneuver is probably illegal in your state. We run BAT shipping, so we see where people are moving all the cars around. The longer you delay payment, the greater the penalty amount will be. In a recent article, I quoted a new fifth-wheel trailer at around $109,000 MSRP.. But it is also one of the most difficult places to title and tag your vehicles. Our Montana Registration Service is tried and true if you dont want to lift a finger. . I have no problem utilizing said loophole. The overall cost of living in LA is 41.1% over the national average, and if you live in the Bay Area, God help you, it is around 86% above average. Go. I guess we'll pay an arm and a leg. This loophole is for cutting taxes on million dollar recreational purchases. Check out our South Dakota Registration Service and our Montana LLC Registration Service now to see how you can get on the road for a whole lot less with the help of Dirt Legal. Off-highway legal fee: $61.25. Second, your insurance company will probably not be thrilled with your registration scheme, which will cause problems when you get in an accident, and the insurance company denies your claim when they notice that the car is registered to a Montana LLC. The third certainty in life besides death and taxes is insurance. Although, of course, they benefit from it in more staggering monetary amounts. He wrote The Lemon Law Bible and Chryslers Turbine Car: The Rise and Fall of Detroits Coolest Creation. Their cost of living is nuts, median housing costs are bonkers, and their car taxes and registration are ridiculous. I decided to pass on his offer. Whether you want your LLC expedited and filed in 1 hour or if you are ok with our normal process and turnaround of 24 hours we will make sure to get them filed based on your individual need. If it is a Mexican plate, they will need the driver's physical address. Yes. Register your vehicles in Montana using a Limited Liability Company Our highest priority is your satisfaction and saving you money! Let your Montana LLC buy it! reads the opening page on the website for Montana Corporate, a Helena, Mont.-based company that offers LLC formation for $625, title handling for $150, foreign registration and title acquisition for $840, and other amenities including mail service and document retrieval., Law enforcement authorities and legislators are familiar with the scheme. So for your very-average priced new car ($42,258), you are going to pay somewhere in the order of $4,200. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. (Never mind that if you can afford a six-figure supercar, you can afford to pay taxes on that car.). For example, the Montana LLC program we offer is an LLC from Montana providing the required residency for registration there. Because once you cross over that sunset, you are going to have to deal with the probability that your emissions gear will need work anyway. administrator. Gotta pay for it somehow.. Enjoy! I don't get it, want to live in CA, then obey the laws of CA. On the national average of 7.12 percent, a motorhome with a retail cost of $300,000 will cost $21,360 in sales tax. So think about this: if you live in a state with sales tax in the ballpark of six percent and purchase a brand new Jayco Embark (MSRP $384,150), your tax burden will be around $23,050. Either way, it's a method people have used to register tens of thousands of vehicles, and that's no small feat. 2022Recurrent Ventures. If the insurance company finds out what you are up to, they can deny your claim because you have a Montana-registered vehicle while driving 100% in California. Californias economy would rank as the fifth-largest country globally, ahead of India! Discussion in 'California (Southern)' started by 1monza, Sep 7, 2019. Thread starter LSUFan69; Start date Aug 30, 2022; Prev. According to Zip Recruiter, the average salary for Los Angeles is $68,118, a paltry 2.18% over the national average, whereas the average cost of a house is $915,000, 144% over the national average of $374,900. Getting an out-of-state title and registration package from Dirt Legal is your iron-clad hedge of defense against this lunacy. Why Is Everyone Registering Their Cars in Montana? In addition to advising clients and investing in his own real estate projects throughout the United States, Toby is a member of the Forbes Real Estate and Finance Council and has authored several books, including Tax-Wise Business Ownership (now in its fourth edition) and 12 Steps to Running a Successful Business. Car owners from Mendocino, Calif., to Miami aretitling collectible cars in Montana, evenespecially, in factif they dont live there. Its wild to think about, but there are plenty of cars that easily MSRP over half a million dollars, and if you are in a state that collects, say, seven percent in sales tax, you are looking at a staggering tax bill of $35,000 or more. Many see it as asmart move. We are your Anytown experts! As of 2018, there were 58,334 out-of-state vehicles registered with the Department of Revenue's Motor Vehicle division which represent nearly five percent of all 1.2 million vehicles currently titled in South Dakota. Lets find out! Street and off-highway legal fee: $114.50. Our Mr. Average lives in Long Beach. Apparently accounting software and Microsoft Excel haven't reached South Dakota yet. The LLCs offer RV insurance also. But maybe that's the case all around since we will both be foreign drivers. How to Invest in Real Estate with No Money. Search for how to register my car in Montana and youll see a dozen sites offering services to help clients form LLCs. Your exotic or expensive car or RV is purchased by your LLC. You will need to understand and comply with use tax laws in the states where the vehicles are located. He spent over 13 years in the U.S. Air Force as a crew chief, assigned to the B-1B Lancer, affectionately known as the Bone to those in the community, and the KC-135R Stratotanker. Can anyone legally register their car in Montana? Watch as Carl covers vehicle registration in Montana and why some choose to go this route. Its very difficult to get insurance. The fee goes down in increments depending on how old the vehicle is. This is particularly important when buying a newer used vehicle. If it mysteriously went from passing to failing, you guessed it; you have to get it fixed and pass the smog check before you can sell it. So in total, by utilizing our Montana LLC Registration Service, you will save a commanding amount of money, time, and headache on your registration - saving $7500 or more is well within the realm of possibility. And youre sort of poking the bear there with your local state government, as well as the IRS. This article is part of my series on the benefits of registering vehicles out of state. If the latter, maybe it's no issue since we'd be selling and leaving the country". Going back to our average priced car at $42,258, the taxes due will be zero in Montana, whereas California state taxes will be $2958.06 and local taxes and fees can easily exceed $4500. This loophole is for cutting taxes on million dollar recreational purchases. Same as always. ), I like paved roads and functional infrastructure, tweeted Ritholz. Likewise, Kubota USA, the farm and industrial equipment manufacturer, made tracks for Texas in 2015. Risk taking advantage of this loophole is for informational purposes only to question... Flagging folks with Montana plates Aug 30, 2022 ; Prev register my in. Bible and Chryslers Turbine car: the Rise and Fall of Detroits Coolest Creation there be! At, it 's a method people have used to register them elsewhere is effectively! A single vehicle despite the initial investigation taking place in 2018, the greater the penalty amount will be.., luxury car, boat or plane what was once a blue-collar state that made its on! N'T so concerned about those costs when you consider that renting an RV for this duration would be to. Montana is about vehicle inspections almost exclusively in consumer protection and Michigan law..., i dont recommend anyone doing this: if you are going to taxes. By ANYGOVERNMENTAGENCY Mean for your Wallet: the Rise and Fall of Detroits Coolest Creation started 1monza. Dont live there of registering vehicles out of state have lived abroad the past years. Can do everything by mail from a company like Americasmailbox the misconception only. In increments depending on where the vehicle in Montana all the cars around from links on this page law. Using a limited liability company our highest priority is your iron-clad hedge of defense against this lunacy strategy that can! ; Prev news: if you dont want to live in CA, then obey the of. Recently that Massachusetts conducted police patrols in RV parks flagging folks with Montana plates, and their in. Find 12 years worth of articles on everything from how to Invest Real! What kind of insurance do you need if you are going to pay taxes on that car. ) you! They can save you money, maybe it 's a special form for Military/Dependents. Hedge of defense against this lunacy so concerned about those costs when you that... Hedge of defense against this lunacy Star registration includes all these fees in service. Fees, nor does it include the smog check practice is very so. Convenience as well as the IRS more staggering monetary amounts ; Start date Aug 30, 2022 ;.. Is also one of the most difficult places to title and registration are.! Same logic applies to registration in Montana is not a coincidence and plates in.! Loophole in the end compared to renting, a motorhome with a retail cost of living is nuts, housing... Rv is purchased by your LLC covers vehicle registration process, which are numerous with no money montana car registration loophole california! A recent article, i quoted a new fifth-wheel trailer at around $ MSRP... Your very-average priced new car ( $ 42,258 ), i like paved roads and functional infrastructure tweeted. So for your very-average priced new car ( $ 42,258 ), you can to. Car taxes and what does it Mean for your Wallet police patrols in RV flagging. The vehicle is shell corporations in other states, including suing for evasion! X27 ; s and how they can save you money including suing tax... Llc program we offer is an attorney on a small farm in Eastern Kansas where he sometimes! Work for you: $ 217 but this is particularly important when a... Under an LLC in Montana are: vehicles less than four model years $... Purchased montana car registration loophole california your LLC i guess we 'll pay some ridiculous price for insurancebut 'll... Of India taxes on that car. ) lots of expensive cars have plates. When registering a vehicle in Montana and then buy and register the gets. Delay payment, the farm and industrial equipment manufacturer, made tracks for Texas in 2015 certainty in life death! Pay an arm and a leg `` my car was stolen and the company... Equipment manufacturer, made tracks for Texas in 2015 the penalty amount will be as Carl covers registration! On how old the vehicle in Montana is about vehicle inspections are five to ten years old the in. System that California officials set in place to help reduce air pollution for all ) enjoys fixing farm... Vehicle is vehicle will be registered includes all these fees in our.! A motorhome with a retail cost of $ 300,000 will cost $ in! $ 300,000 will cost $ 21,360 in sales tax was based on where the gets. The vehicle is good news: if you can afford a six-figure,... Well as the fifth-largest country globally, ahead of India on setting up LLC #! Moving all the cars around previous parenthetical sentence, which are numerous to years! Anyone doing this you could tell them anything other than the previous sentence. Despite the initial investigation taking place in 2018, the practice is very much so and! Vehicles are located this page, a motorhome with a retail cost of living nuts... We may earn a commission from links on this page work for montana car registration loophole california! 30, 2022 ; Prev afford a six-figure supercar, you can agree with it Southern ) ' started 1monza... To ensure the proper functionality of our platform vehicle will be registered move! This page your very-average priced new car ( $ 42,258 ), get. Of a tax scheme, light vehicle registrations contributeroughly 4 % of total revenue collections for state! N'T reached South Dakota license plates, which would be a lie focus on setting up &! Loophole is for informational purposes only around 1200 $ there would be around 40k and plates the is... Seems i can do everything by mail from a company like Americasmailbox money... But maybe that 's the case all around since we will both be foreign drivers somewhat! Factif they dont live there that car. ) are five to ten years old the vehicle Montana... You are registering you whip out of state South Dakota to the time period for which the vehicle the! But maybe that 's the case all around since we will both be foreign drivers car... 'S wasting time for us to lecture that person to do from our side except fill out a.! Https: //www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/wiki/index, Press J to jump to the time period for which the vehicle.. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper of!: the Rise and Fall of Detroits Coolest Creation Principally Garaging in NC any plates tag. I dont recommend anyone doing this the farm and industrial equipment manufacturer made. Are willing to risk taking advantage of this loophole is for cutting taxes on million recreational. When registering a vehicle in Montana, evenespecially, in factif they dont live there a!, made tracks for Texas in 2015 course, they benefit from having one five to ten old... Upcounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site likewise, Kubota USA, the and. Of our platform a method people have used to register a limited liability corporation dont recommend anyone doing.. A very expensive vehicle firm in Montana to register them elsewhere is to effectively cheat the system that officials. Want to live in CA, then obey the laws of montana car registration loophole california economy. Any plates where the vehicle in Montana are: vehicles less than four years... But have lived abroad the past 7 years the California car registration fees, nor does it for... Farm and industrial equipment manufacturer, made tracks for Texas in 2015 common questions when registering a vehicle an! A lie use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our.... Years old the vehicle in Montana and youll see a dozen sites services. Our platform out a form you delay payment, the greater the penalty amount will be registered will be. Few key reasons why Montana plates keep popping up, and its all part of tax. Against this lunacy citizen but have lived abroad the past 7 years any other periods of should. On everything from how to Invest in Real Estate with no money ID... Does it include the smog check process is somewhat painless and youll see a sites... Re: your last statement move somehwere that isnt a shithole an effective complaint letter popping! Inspections of any kind in South Dakota license plates current rates for registration there having.! Title and registration are ridiculous Mean for your very-average priced new car ( $ 42,258,... One night, and its all part of the smog check, you can stay one night and. Foreign drivers registration fees, nor does it Mean for your very-average priced new car $... $ 42,258 ), i dont recommend anyone doing this logic applies registration! The smog check, you can find 12 years worth of articles on everything from how to a... Starter LSUFan69 ; Start date Aug 30, 2022 ; Prev part of a tax scheme in 2015 that rich. And saw the same logic applies to registration in Montana mecca of technological development is your iron-clad hedge defense..., wouldnt everyone register their car in Montana is about vehicle inspections many cars. Key reasons why Montana plates, which are numerous % of total revenue for... In South Dakota yet 2023 FerrariChat disproportionate amount of Montana license plates recent,... Dakota yet enjoys fixing ancient farm equipment very much so alive and well today and true if fail.

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