CYR, Circuit Judge.

Plaintiff Richard Blanchard appeals from a summary judgment dismissing his third party beneficiary claim under a homeowners policy issued to James and Ann Brown by defendant Peerless Insurance Company ("Peerless"). The district court determined, as a matter of law, that the homeowners' son, Paul Brown, was not a "covered person" within the meaning of the Peerless policy, because he was not a "resident" of the Brown family household at the time of the shooting incident which is the subject of the third-party beneficiary claim. We must scrutinize Rhode Island law for the substantive criteria controlling our de novo determination whether the record before the district court precluded reasonable disagreement as to the meaning of the insurance policy provision relating to "residency" and foreclosed any trialworthy "residency" issue. We conclude that summary judgment was not warranted.

I [2] BACKGROUND

In November 1986, following a disagreement with his parents, nineteen-year-old Paul Brown left the Brown family home, where he had resided continuously for eleven years, and moved into a room rented from a friend. Over the next ten months, which his mother characterized as a "phase in-phase out period," Paul worked intermittently as a part-time plastering "subcontractor" and consistently maintained regular contacts with the family home. According to his mother, he continued to keep "a lot of" clothing and other personal belongings ( e.g., skis, guns) in the family home bedroom he had occupied for years. He used the Brown family home address on his driver's license, car registration and tax returns, received some mail ( e.g., bank statements) at the family home address, and retained a key to the family home. Paul visited his parents at least twice a week to help with household chores and for family meals, and remained overnight on Christmas Eve 1986.

During a visit to the family home in August 1987, Paul Brown shot plaintiff Richard Blanchard with a pellet gun he had retrieved from his bedroom in the family home. Three weeks after the shooting incident, Paul moved from the rented room into an apartment he thereafter shared intermittently with his girlfriend. Sometime later he opened a new bank account, once again using the family home address.

Following an unsuccessful state court tort action against Paul's parents, and after obtaining an uncollectible default judgment against Paul, Richard Blanchard brought the present action under the Peerless homeowners policy, which defines the term "insured" as including any family member who is a "resident" of the insured premises. Peerless moved for summary judgment on the ground that Paul was not a "resident" of the Brown household at the time of the shooting incident in August 1987. The motion for summary judgment was submitted on the deposition testimony given by Paul and his parents in the earlier state court proceedings. Paul's deposition testimony categorically disavowed any intention to live with his parents after November 1986. In granting summary judgment for Peerless, the district court stated:

[R]esidence is sometimes an elusive concept. It has two components. One is physical presence and the other is intent which certainly involves a state of mind. . . . This case arises in a somewhat unusual posture because normally the two are in conflict ... and the party in question is claiming an intent that is contrary to what the facts suggest. Here though, both factors point in the same direction. Paul Brown contends that it was his intent to have permanently left his parents' home ten months before this incident occurred. . . . [T]he objective facts seem to overwhelmingly support that contention. We would be in a different situation I think if there were any objective facts indicating otherwise but there simply are none. . . . So it seems to the court that although in many cases state of mind is a factual question that can't be resolved on a motion for summary judgment, in the unique circumstances of this case, that is not so and there is not enough evidence that would create an issue of fact to be determined by the jury. (emphasis added).

II [6] DISCUSSION

Appellant Blanchard contends that summary judgment was inappropriate because two jury issues material to the "residency" determination remained in genuine dispute. First, since subjective intent may be relevant to the "residency" determination under Rhode Island law, Blanchard argues that it was for the jury, not the court, to determine the credibility of Paul's testimony that he had no intention to return and reside in the Brown household. See, e.g., Maiorana v. MacDonald, 596 F.2d 1072, 1076-77 (1st Cir. 1979) (summary judgment generally inappropriate where "state of mind" is a material issue). Second, Blanchard argues that the ultimate determination — whether a particular set of undisputed circumstances is sufficient to establish "residency" — represents primarily an issue of fact for the jury, not a question of law for the court. Since there was considerable circumstantial evidence that Paul continuously maintained significant contacts with the Brown family household between November 1986 and August 1987, Blanchard argues that the jury should have been permitted to determine what reasonable inferences were to be drawn from the objective circumstantial evidence, notwithstanding Paul's disavowal of any intention to resume residence in the family household.

A. "Residency" under Rhode Island law

We review a grant of summary judgment de novo, employing the same standards the district court must utilize. Pedraza v. Shell Oil Co., 942 F.2d 48, 50 (1st Cir. 1991), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 112 S.Ct. 993, 117 L.Ed.2d 154 (1992). Summary judgment is warranted where the record, viewed most favorably to the nonmoving party, reveals that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Siegal v. American Honda Motor Co., 921 F.2d 15, 17 (1st Cir. 1990). "[T]he mere existence of some alleged factual dispute between the parties will not defeat an otherwise properly supported motion for summary judgment. . . ." Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 247-248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2510, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986) (emphasis in original). Moreover, "the materiality determination rests on . . . the substantive law's identification of which facts are critical and which facts are irrelevant. . . ." Id. at 248, 106 S.Ct. at 2510.

The parties are in agreement that Rhode Island law controls our interpretation of the operative policy term: "residents of your household." The Rhode Island Supreme Court has described the procedure governing the "residency" determination as follows:

The meaning of the term "residence" or "resident" is a mixed question of law and fact. In order to determine if a person is a resident of a particular household, the court must consider whether in the totality of the circumstances that person maintains a physical presence in the household with intent to remain for more than a mere transitory period, or that person has a reasonably recent history of physical presence together with circumstances that manifest an intent to return to the residence within a reasonably foreseeable period.

Aetna Life Cas. Co. v. Carrera, 577 A.2d 980, 985 (R.I. 1990) (emphasis added). Under Carrera, the focus of the relevant "residency" determination is on the time of the incident giving rise to the claim asserted under the insurance contract. Id. Among the relevant general criteria are: (1) the amount of time spent in the residence; (2) the nature of the living arrangements; (3) the types of activities undertaken in the residence; and (4) the person's intentions regarding the length and nature of the stay. See id. at 984 (quoting Flather v. Norberg, 119 R.I. 276, 377 A.2d 225, 229 (1977)).

Under the Carrera decision, as well as Barricelli v. American Universal Ins. Co., 583 A.2d 1270 (R.I. 1990), the only extant Rhode Island Supreme Court cases dealing with the insurance contract term "resident of the household," the court has identified, expressly or impliedly, numerous relevant circumstances which may be material to the "residency" determination. Summary judgment is unwarranted if the existence of one or more of these, or other, material factors is in genuine dispute, unless resolution of the dispute by the factfinder could not affect the ultimate "residency" determination. Therefore, we next consider the nature of the ultimate "residency" determination under Rhode Island law and by whom it is to be made.

In a number of jurisdictions, the "residency" determination is considered a mixed question of law and fact only so long as the material facts remain in dispute, but becomes a pure question of law for the court once all that remains to be decided is whether the competing circumstantial evidence not in dispute is sufficient to permit a definitive ruling under the governing residency criteria. See, e.g., Willis v. Allstate, 88 Md. App. 21, 591 A.2d 896, 899 (1991) (summary judgment review) (citing Carrera, 577 A.2d 980, 985 (R.I. 1990)) (quoting Hamilton v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 364 So.2d 215, 218 (La.App. 1979)) (other citations omitted); see also Trezza v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 519 So.2d 649, 650 (Fla.App. 1988) (whether undisputed facts "fit within the policy definition is a question of law that may be decided on appellate review"). These decisions are expressly predicated on the recognized rule of contract construction that unambiguous language in an insurance policy is to be accorded its plain meaning, that the term "resident of the same household" is unambiguous, and that it is for the court, therefore, to decide whether, on balance, the competing circumstantial evidence not in dispute is sufficient to show that the individual in question was a "resident of the same household." See Willis, 591 A.2d at 900 (citing Peninsula Ins. Co. v. Knight, 254 Md. 461, 255 A.2d 55, 55 (1969)); Trezza, 519 So.2d at 650. Under these legal guidelines, the trial court, rather than the jury, would be required to weigh all the competing circumstantial evidence not in genuine dispute and enter summary judgment for one party or the other based on the applicable residency criteria.

The district court implicitly determined that Rhode Island law at least permits the submission of the residency issue to the jury in the face of competing circumstantial evidence which is not in dispute, but then determined that no reasonable jury could return a verdict in favor of Blanchard on the residency issue based on the evidence presented in the course of the summary judgment proceeding. We must make an independent determination as to the nature of the ultimate residency determination, and by whom it is to be made, under Rhode Island law. See Salve Regina College v. Russell, ___ U.S. ___, 111 S.Ct. 1217, 113 L.Ed.2d 190 (1991).

In Carrera, it appears that the Rhode Island Supreme Court expressly rejected the interpretive principle on which the Willis and Trezza decisions are premised, by observing that "the term 'domicile' has a fixed legal meaning [, while t]he meaning of the term 'residence' . . . must be derived in part from the context in which it is used." Carrera, 577 A.2d at 983 (emphasis added). Since the meaning of "residence" under Rhode Island law apparently cannot be determined apart from the specific contractual context in which it is used, the first task is to ascertain the intent of the contracting parties in employing the particular contract language and to determine whether the circumstances of the putative resident, as revealed by the evidence, bring that person within the "residency" definition contemplated by the parties to the contract.

The contracting parties' intent generally is deemed a material issue of fact precluding summary judgment, except in cases where "the supporting evidence is sufficiently one-sided" that "no 'reasonable person could differ.'" See Boston Five Cents Sav. Bank v. Department of Hous. Urban Dev., 768 F.2d 5, 8 (1st Cir. 1985) ("an argument between parties about the meaning of a contract is typically an argument about a 'material fact'"); 3 Arthur Corbin, Corbin on Contracts § 554 (1960 Supp. 1991). More to the point, the "totality of the circumstances" test enunciated in Carrera expressly requires at least two "reasonableness" evaluations (namely, "reasonably recent" presence and "reasonably foreseeable" return) normally entrusted to the jury. Cf. Lariviere v. Dayton Safety Ladder Co., 525 A.2d 892, 898 (R.I. 1987) (in breach of warranty case, "reasonableness" of time lapse prior to notification of breach is question of fact for jury); Majewski v. Porter, 121 R.I. 757, 403 A.2d 248, 249-50 (1979) (in breach of contract case, "reasonableness" of time lapse between discovery of breach and exercise of right to rescind is question of fact for jury). We therefore conclude that the "residency" determination required under the existing "totality of the circumstances" test in Rhode Island remains a mixed question of law and fact which precludes summary judgment unless no reasonable trier of fact could draw any other inference from the "totality of the circumstances" revealed by the undisputed evidence.

B. Subjective Intent as a Material Fact

Aside from the ultimate residency determination itself, the subjective intent of Paul Brown at the time of the shooting incident in August 1987 was the only material fact in genuine dispute. Blanchard's main contention on appeal is that the credibility and weight to be given the Browns' deposition testimony as to Paul Brown's subjective intent are trialworthy jury issues which precluded summary judgment. Blanchard argues, inter alia, that Paul Brown reasonably could be found to have been a "resident" of the Brown family household at the time of the shooting incident if the jury were to decide not to credit the Browns' countervailing deposition testimony. Under Rhode Island law, evidence of a putative resident's state of mind may be "pertinent" to the determination of residency, although it need not constitute the "single dispositive factor." Carrera, 577 A.2d at 984 (citing Flather, 377 A.2d at 229); see also A.G. v. Travelers Ins. Co., 112 Wis.2d 18, 331 N.W.2d 643, 645 (App. 1983) (declared intent of putative resident to be considered, but not controlling).

The district court's explication of its grant of summary judgment indicates that it relied, to some degree at least, on Paul Brown's statements of subjective intent, as corroboration for its conclusion that the objective evidence generated no trialworthy "residency" issue for the jury. See supra p. 485. At the summary judgment stage, the nonmoving party is "entitled 'to have the credibility of his evidence as forecast assumed, his version of all that is in [genuine] dispute accepted, [and] all internal conflicts in [the evidence] resolved favorably to him. . . .'" Rodriguez-Garcia v. Davila, 904 F.2d 90, 94 (1st Cir. 1990) (citing Greeburg v. Puerto Rico Maritime Shipping Auth., 835 F.2d 932, 936 (1st Cir. 1987) (citing Charbonnages de France v. Smith, 597 F.2d 406 (4th Cir. 1979))) (emphasis added). Accordingly, the district court's apparent determination that the Browns' deposition testimony provided support for the entry of summary judgment against Blanchard would have been permissible only if Paul Brown's subjective intent was not in dispute. On the other hand, the district court's determination would have been impermissible if Blanchard presented evidence that Paul had expressed an intention to retain or resume residence in the Brown family household or if Blanchard demonstrated a genuine issue as to the credibility of Paul's deposition testimony to the effect that he never again intended to reside in the Brown family household.

Since the record did not contain any prior statement inconsistent with Paul's deposition testimony, Blanchard was not entitled to the summary judgment presumption that Paul harbored a subjective intention to retain or resume residence in the Brown family household. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 257, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2514-15, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986) (even though "state of mind" is a material issue, nonmoving party cannot survive post-discovery summary judgment by mere denials, but must set forth facts from which factfinder might draw contrary inference).

The only direct evidence of subjective intent on the issue of residence are the statements of the putative resident. Although the mere fact that the putative resident's "state of mind" is relevant to the "residency" determination does not preclude summary judgment, a number of courts, including our own, have been reluctant to permit summary judgment where the nonmoving party demonstrates a genuine dispute as to the credibility of the witness whose subjective intent is at issue, particularly where cross-examination offers the only realistic prospect for resolving the credibility concern. See, e.g., Stepanischen v. Merchants Despatch Transp. Corp., 722 F.2d 922, 928-29 (1st Cir. 1983); Maiorana, 596 F.2d at 1076-77; see also International Shortstop, Inc. v. Rally's Inc., 939 F.2d 1257, 1266 (5th Cir. 1991), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 112 S.Ct. 936, 117 L.Ed.2d 807 (1992); White v. Roper, 901 F.2d 1501, 1505 (9th Cir. 1990); Ness v. Marshall, 660 F.2d 517, 519 (3d Cir. 1981).

"State of mind" testimony from the putative "covered person" may raise inherent credibility concerns insofar as it supports limitations on third-party beneficiary coverage in the somewhat unusual circumstances where the financial interests of an insurer and its insured are aligned. Blanchard specifically points to undisputed evidence from which a jury might reasonably infer that Paul's statements as to his subjective intent were motivated by self-interest. Were a jury to credit Blanchard's evidence, it would be entitled to infer that Paul did not harbor the intent to which he testified on deposition. Under the well-recognized summary judgment procedure controlling our de novo review, see Siegal, 921 F.2d at 17, we are required to view all evidence, and fair inferences therefrom, in the light most favorable to Blanchard.

We must conclude, therefore, that even though it may have been impermissible to infer, for summary judgment purposes, that Paul subjectively intended to return to live with his parents, see Bose Corp. v. Consumers Union of U.S., Inc., 466 U.S. 485, 512, 104 S.Ct. 1949, 1965-66, 80 L.Ed.2d 502 (1984) (while jury may discredit testimony based on credibility determination, "discredited testimony is [normally] not considered a sufficient basis for drawing a contrary conclusion") (emphasis added), Blanchard nevertheless demonstrated a sufficient evidentiary foundation on which a jury would have been entitled to refuse to credit Paul's statements of intent. Therefore, Paul's deposition testimony as to his subjective intent is entitled to no weight in our de novo review of the grant of summary judgment against Blanchard.

C. "Totality of Circumstances" Test

Blanchard further contends that Paul Brown's undisputed contacts with the family household, viewed in the neutral context of Paul's presumptively discredited deposition testimony, precluded summary judgment on the "residency" issue. Blanchard insists that the ultimate "residency" determination under Rhode Island's "totality of the circumstances" test remains a trialworthy issue even though no particular circumstantial evidence remains in genuine dispute, because a jury reasonably could conclude that either party was entitled to judgment based on the undisputed, competing evidence. We agree.

Blanchard's contention merely restates the basic summary judgment procedure applicable in the present case. Once all material facts in genuine dispute have been evaluated in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, together with all supportive evidence not in dispute, as well as all reasonable inferences therefrom, summary judgment may nonetheless be appropriate if the nonmoving party is unable to demonstrate, through competent evidence, see Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a), that each essential element of his claim or defense is at least trialworthy. Siegal, 921 F.2d at 17 (citing Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249-50, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2510-11, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986)) (citations omitted); Davila, 904 F.2d at 94-95 (quoting Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986)); Brennan v. Hendrigan, 888 F.2d 189, 191 (1st Cir. 1989) (concise articulation of summary judgment procedure). We therefore examine whether, viewing the undisputed, but competing, evidence in the light most favorable to Blanchard, see Rodriguez-Garcia, 904 F.2d at 94 (nonmoving party entitled to have "all internal conflicts in [the evidence] resolved favorably to him"), a jury reasonably could have returned a verdict for Blanchard on the "residency" issue.

1. Objective Manifestations of "Nonresidency"

The district court concluded that Peerless had presented objective evidence which "overwhelmingly supported" a finding of "nonresidency." Although it is not entirely clear precisely what weight the district court attributed to it, we again emphasize that Paul's deposition testimony as to his subjective intent was not entitled to be credited in favor of either party for summary judgment purposes. Likewise, Paul's post-incident actions, particularly the decision to move from his rented room into his girlfriend's apartment three weeks after the incident, would be entitled to no weight for summary judgment purposes since a jury might reasonably refuse to credit Paul's post-incident conduct. See supra note 2.

Second, the undisputed evidence that Paul left the family household, following a "disagreement" with his parents over curfew rules, permitted, but did not require, an inference that he thereupon permanently abandoned any residence in the Brown family household. There was no testimony that any permanent rift resulted from, or any antagonism lingered after, the family disagreement, such as might preclude an inference, based on Paul's later pre-incident conduct and contacts with the family home, that he retained or resumed his residence in the family home. Nor was there evidence of special circumstances indicating that retention or resumption of residence in the family home would risk significant detriment. Cf., e.g., Carrera, 577 A.2d at 985 (putative resident's awareness of outstanding arrest warrant was single most persuasive evidence of intention not to return to mother's Rhode Island home). Indeed, Paul's frequent and regular return visits — for meals, to do family chores, to use and retrieve personal belongings — could be considered evidence that no serious rift resulted.

Finally, Rhode Island law specifically provides that a person may maintain simultaneous residences. See id. at 983 ("person may have two places of residence . . . but only one domicile"). Indeed, where an insurance contract contains the ambiguous term "resident," the Carrera decision acknowledges the general principle "favoring broad coverage," id., and recognizes the appropriateness of alternative "residency" tests, see supra pp. 485-486.

Under the " actual residency" test, if a significant physical presence was being maintained in the family household at the time of the incident, the factfinder must ascertain whether the surrounding circumstances indicate an intent to depart the household within a brief period, or an intent to maintain the current presence for an indefinite or extended period. See Carrera, 577 A.2d at 985. Alternatively, under the " constructive residency" test, if no significant physical presence is being maintained in the household at the time of the incident but a continuous presence was maintained in the recent past, the factfinder must scrutinize all "manifestations" indicating an intent to resume residence in the family household. Id.; see also Hawaiian Ins. Guar. Co., 534 P.2d at 51. Thus, standing alone, the decision to move into a rented room would not establish, as a matter of Rhode Island law, that Paul did not retain a "constructive residence" in the Brown family household. See, e.g., Firemen's Ins. Co. v. Viktora, 318 N.W.2d 704, 707 (Minn. 1982) (son's maintenance of separate apartment does not preclude residence in the parental household where he attends meals and helps with chores).

2. Objective Manifestations of "Residency"

The district court concluded that there were no objective facts supporting a finding of "residency." The court rejected Blanchard's contention that at least three of Paul's "contacts" with the family household at the time of the shooting incident contravened Paul's deposition testimony that he did not intend to retain or resume residence in the family household. We think these three "contacts" were mistakenly mischaracterized as legally insignificant.

First, the court noted that nonresident children routinely store their clothing and personal belongings after moving out of the family home, even though they may have no intention of retaining or resuming residence there. In the present case, however, Blanchard not only produced evidence that Paul continued to keep a lot of personal belongings in his old bedroom in the family home, cf. Barricelli, 583 A.2d at 1271 (daughter kept "a few personal belongings"), but that Paul continued to make use of some of these belongings ( e.g., skis, guns) during the period between November 1986 and August 1987. Indeed, the pellet gun with which Blanchard was injured had been retrieved that very day from Paul's old bedroom in the family home. We cannot conclude that a jury reasonably could not have inferred that Paul's characterization of what he did — as an entirely passive storage of belongings in the family home — substantially understated its true purport. See, e.g., Federated American Ins. Co. v. Childers, 45 Or.App. 379, 608 P.2d 584, 586-87 (1980) (student "resident" of father's home where he kept personal belongings).

Second, the district court observed that parents and nonresident children commonly retain keys to their respective residences. While it is no doubt true that nonresident children often retain keys for emergency or occasional access to the parental home, Blanchard produced evidence from which it could be inferred that Paul retained a key to the family home, with the full knowledge of his parents, for the purpose of enjoying routine and unfettered access to the family household. For example, on the day of the shooting incident Paul's parents were not at home, but Paul was there to watch movies with his girlfriend. Cf., e.g., Mutual Serv. Cas. Ins. Co. v. Olson, 402 N.W.2d 621, 624 (Minn.App. 1987) (minor son "resident" of parental household to which he retained key).

Finally, the district court noted that Paul never directed the Postal Service to continue to deliver his mail to the family home address after the shooting incident; he simply did not direct the Postal Service to deliver it to any other address, so certain mailings continued to be delivered to the family home. Yet another, and no less reasonable, inference which might be drawn from Paul's inaction would be that he continued to regard the Brown family household as his primary residence after moving into the rented room in November 1986. See, e.g., Clark v. Harris, 522 So.2d 673, 676 (La.App. 1988) (one material factor supporting "residency" is continued receipt of mail or messages); Argubright, 104 Ill. Dec. at 375, 502 N.E.2d at 872 (same); Grinnell Mut. Reinsurance Co. v. Scott, 628 S.W.2d 355, 356-57 (Mo.App. 1981) (same). Under Rhode Island law, a putative resident's "inaction" is considered competent evidence for purposes of the "residency" determination. See Carrera, 577 A.2d at 982 (putative resident's inaction in allowing Rhode Island license and registration to lapse, considered competent evidence of intent to abandon residence at address appearing on documents).

The district court discounted direct deposition testimony to the effect that Paul retained his parents' address on important personal documentation (driver's license, registration, tax return) and that he opened a bank account after the August 1987 shooting incident, using his parents' home address as his mailing address. See, e.g., Lewis v. Dairyland Ins. Co., 169 Ga. App. 265, 312 S.E.2d 165, 166 (1983) (even though adult son had expressed no intention to reside with father and stored no personal belongings at father's residence, use of father's address on son's college application precluded summary judgment for father's insurance company); Dobson v. Maki, 184 Mich. App. 244, 457 N.W.2d 132, 135 (1990) (use of mailing address on important documentation constitutes dispositive proof of "domicile in same household" under insurance policy); State Farm Fire Cas. Co. v. Short, 448 N.W.2d 560, 564 (Minn.App. 1989) (son "resident" at parental home address used on son driver's license, vehicle registration, and voter list); cf. Carrera, 577 A.2d at 982 ("nonresident" child used new Florida address on employment application). Where its competence and materiality are clear, the nonmovant's evidence may not be discounted at the summary judgment stage.

The district court did not discuss other material evidence from which a jury might reasonably infer that Paul retained a residence at the family home throughout the period preceding the shooting incident. Apparently, Paul's rental of a room from a friend was Paul's first such parting from the family household, cf. Carrera, 577 A.2d at 982 (nonresident son moved out of mother's home, first to girlfriend's apartment, then lived on the streets, and then in a drug rehabilitation center, all prior to leaving state), and, by his mother's own account, it was an experimental "phase in-phase out" period characterized by frequent and regular visits. Cf. Barricelli, 583 A.2d at 1272 (child's irregular or sporadic visitation may support "nonresidency"); Crafton, 551 N.E.2d at 895-96 (same).

Although Paul was no longer a minor in August 1987, he was not of such advanced age that his renting of a room from a friend would foreclose an inference that he intended to retain or resume his longstanding residence in the family household. Rather, such initial and often tentative separations from the parental home are most analogous to the partings that take place when adult children go away to college for the first time, or enter military service, in the sense that the adult child's plans typically remain unclear. Thus, in the vast majority of such cases, the adult child is presumed to retain a residence in the family home. See, e.g., Donegal Mut. Ins. Co. v. McConnell, 562 So.2d 201, 204 (Ala. 1990) (serviceman-son remained "resident" of parent's household); Montgomery v. Hawkeye Security Ins. Co., 52 Mich. App. 457, 217 N.W.2d 449, 451 (1974) (emancipated child "resident" in family home during absence at school); Childers, 608 P.2d at 586-87 (son away at school remained "resident" of father's household). Nor was there evidence that Paul had immediate plans to marry or to start his own family. Cf. Argubright, 502 N.E.2d at 873 (intention to marry may suggest nonresidency with parents).

Moreover, Blanchard produced evidence from which it might reasonably be inferred that Paul was not yet financially independent from his parents. For instance, Paul conceded that he was employed only intermittently during 1987, had not earned enough income in 1987 to require the filing of a tax return, did family chores at the Brown home once a week, and attended meals there no less than once a week. Compare Wood v. Mutual Serv. Cas. Ins. Co., 415 N.W.2d 748, 750-51 (Minn.App. 1987) (son remained "resident" of parental home while still financially dependent on parents) with French v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 372 N.W.2d 839, 843 (Minn.App. 1985) (son who received no financial assistance from parents and was self-supporting, not "resident" in family home).

In sum, although the result reached by the district court is an eminently reasonable one, our de novo review of the entire record in light of the controlling substantive law satisfies us that summary judgment for either party would entail impermissible factfinding. The summary judgment must be vacated, and the case remanded for trial.

The district court judgment is vacated and the case is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.