Unique Tax Situation for S-corp Formed in Texas but Living in Two States

I formed a single-member LLC (taxed as an S-corp) in Texas for online technical consulting. I lived in Florida temporarily for 6 months to work at a client's office and then moved back to Texas, where I have a permanent home.

  1. Should I run payroll in Texas, or should I run payroll in Florida for the months I was traveling there? What is better for tax deductions?
  2. If I run payroll in Texas, can I claim per diem expenses while in Florida, such as rent and meal expenses, as they would be considered travel expenses?
  3. If I can deduct my rent in Florida, does the lease need to be in my LLC's name, or can it be in my personal name? We rented an apartment for 6 months.
  4. I bought a car that I use solely for work. Considering I get the same deduction for the standard mileage rate versus actual expenses, is it better to choose one over the other (e.g., less scrutiny or proof needed for the IRS)?