[epoxia]

I would recommend reading Extreme Privacy by Michael Bazzell if these types of thing concern you. A relevant passage:

"First, I would never provide my home address on any application or W-9 form. This should only be your PO Box, UPS Box, or PMB address. Your employer likely does not care much about where you live, unless the job has residency requirements, such as a police officer. The IRS does not object to the use of a mail box address. They just want their money."

[duxup]

This feels like one of those bits of security tips / infotainment that IRL provides no value.

[0xEF]

It just adds an extra step that keeps the general public away from your PII. The post office knows who owns that PO box and where that person actually lives. A simple subpoena makes that information available to whatever arm of enforcement needs it.

[driverdan]

I've been using PMBs for about 20 years. If you don't own real estate it can definitely help anonymize your location, even to the government. You rent one home, get a PMB using that location as your home, then move. Use the PMB for everything and never give out your new home address.

If you own real estate it's much harder, especially now that companies have to report their owners and directors.

At the very least PMBs help protect your home address from companies and the public.

[epoxia]

PO boxes have stricter address information requirements but there are other services that are more lax and can pass with a utility bill from a previous rental address. Thus, obfuscating the real address.

[mixmastamyk]

A lot of rich and famous do this, keeps the “riffraff” off their ass. Not meant to be bulletproof but can be useful.

[kevingadd]

Does this work in practice? Historically my actual residence is needed for tax reasons, i.e. properly tracking what state I owe income tax in for cash compensation and stock options.

[duxup]

Yeah I don't see how this works. Got a mortgage, you're going to report info that lead them to your financial institution who knows the address and so on. Insurance, any other financial service that did some data checks / credit checks.

I don't buy into the idea that you can magically hide your home address, this info is already out.

[jlongr]

No. What he's describing is like covering your face with your hands and thinking that you're invisible.

[Amfy]

get a PMB in your state (or county even). You'll be surprised how many PMBs exist