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5 things to do if you win the $1.5B Powerball jackpot

Nov 04, 2022

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The big lottery jackpot is well over $1 billion, but the odds of winning the big one are 1 in 292 million for the Powerball and 1 in 302 million for Mega Millions. But what does it hurt to spend a few dollars on a dream? Contrary to popular belief, if you do win, you shouldn’t sign your ticket and run right out to your local lottery office. We have the steps you’ll need to take first in this week’s Five for Friday:

#5. Secure the Ticket

The first thing you will need to do is protect that winning ticket. State Farm suggests making several copies and putting the original in a safe deposit box at the bank or a home safe. It would be a shame if the ticket blew out the window or ended up in a fireplace. That was the plot of many sitcom episodes in the ’90s.

#4. Build your Team

You’re going to need a dream team to navigate through all of the headaches that come with collecting hundreds of millions of dollars. You’ll need a good lawyer, an accountant and a financial advisor, all with experience handling large sums of money. It’s likely a bad idea to reach out to your brother-in-law that does your taxes as it could cause more problems than it solves. Winners in 2022 are subject to a 37% federal income tax on top of whatever your state collects.

#3. Protect your Privacy

It’s huge news when a mega prize is on the docket and that means the media will want to get your story. Long-lost acquaintances will also come out of the woodwork in an effort to siphon off some of your winnings. Only a few states allow winners to remain completely anonymous, so it’s a good idea to shield phone numbers and addresses before you make the trip to collect. There are states that allow you to collect under a trust or LLC, which won’t have your name on it. Again, this is where that crack team is crucial.

#2. Lump Sum or Annuity

Once you have taken the appropriate steps, it’s decision time: Do you take the lump sum or the annuity? Billionaire Mark Cuban believes annual installments are the best way to go, noting it offers security from yourself so you don’t blow all the winnings. The lump sum is equal to around 60% of the total jackpot before taxes, but Cuban’s fellow Shark Tank judge Kevin O’Leary likes that option best. O’Leary suggests paying yourself an annuity and letting the rest grow in safe investments.

#1. Prepare for the Future

Now you get to put some of that money to work. But hold off on vacations, yachts and mansions to start. You should immediately pay off any debt, come up with a sound retirement plan and figure out estate planning in the event of your death to make sure your family is all set. Once again, that team is going to come in handy. Then, enjoy your new life! Experts say you should probably hold onto that job until you have the money in hand, and even suggest getting a part-time job, volunteer work or pick up a hobby you love to keep you grounded.

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Simone Del Rosario:

SO THE BIG JACKPOT HAS CLIMBED TO MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS, MAKING THE ODDS OF WINNING THE LOTTERY – ABOUT ONE IN 300 MILLION. BUT WHAT DOES IT HURT TO THROW OUT A COUPLE OF BUCKS FOR A DREAM. THAT SAID, IF YOU *DO WIN, DON’T GO RUNNING TO THE LOTTO OFFICE JUST YET, WE’VE GOT THE STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE FIRST IN THIS WEEK’S FIVE FOR FRIDAY.

WITH A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR TICKET STARING YOU IN THE FACE, THE FIRST THING TO DO IS SECURE IT. STATE FARM SUGGESTS MAKING SEVERAL COPIES AND THROWING THE ORIGINAL IN A SAFE WHILE YOU GET READY TO COLLECT. YOU’D HATE TO SEE IT BLOW OUT THE WINDOW OR END UP IN A FIREPLACE. YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT HAPPEN IF YOU WATCH 90S SITCOMS.

NEXT UP, BUILD YOUR OWN PERSONAL DREAM TEAM. YOU’LL WANT A LAWYER, AN ACCOUNTANT AND FINANCIAL ADVISOR, ALL WITH EXPERIENCE HANDLING LARGE SUMS OF MONEY. YOUR BROTHER-IN-LAW WHO DOES YOUR TAXES ISN’T GONNA CUT IT. WINNERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO A 37 PERCENT FEDERAL INCOME TAX {2022} ON TOP OF WHATEVER YOUR STATE COLLECTS.

EVERYBODY’S WATCHING WHEN A BIG TIME PRIZE IS ON THE DOCKET AND THAT MEANS THE MEDIA WILL WANNA GET YOUR STORY AND PEOPLE YOU KNOW WILL TRY TO GET THEIRS. FEW STATES ALLOW A WINNER TO REMAIN COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS, SO IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO TRY TO SHIELD PHONE NUMBERS AND ADDRESSES BEFORE YOU COLLECT. THERE ARE STATES THAT ALLOW YOU TO COLLECT UNDER A TRUST OR LLC, WHICH WON’T HAVE YOUR NAME ON IT. THAT’S WHY IT’S NICE TO HAVE THAT TEAM.

HERE COMES DECISION TIME. DO YOU TAKE THE LUMP SUM OR THE ANNUITY? BILLIONAIRE MARK CUBAN VOTES FOR ANNUAL INSTALLMENTS, SAYING IT OFFERS SECURITY AND KEEPS YOU FROM BLOWING IT ALL. IF YOU TAKE THE LUMP SUM, YOU’LL ONLY GET AROUND 60% OF THE TOTAL JACKPOT BEFORE TAXES, BUT FELLOW SHARK TANK JUDGE KEVIN O’LEARY THINKS THAT’S THE BEST OPTION. MR. WONDERFUL SUGGESTS PAYING YOURSELF AN ANNUITY AND LETTING THE REST GROW IN SAFE INVESTMENTS.

AND NOW IT’S TIME TO PUT THAT MONEY TO WORK. BUT HOLD OFF ON VACATIONS, YACHTS AND MANSIONS TO START. YOU’RE GONNA WANNA PAY OFF ANY DEBTS, COME UP WITH A SOUND RETIREMENT PLAN, AND FIGURE OUT SOME ESTATE PLANNING IN THE EVENT OF YOUR DEATH. MAKE SURE THE FAMILY IS ALL SET.

I BET YOU THOUGHT QUITTING YOUR JOB WAS IN THERE SOMEWHERE. BUT EXPERTS SAY DON’T QUIT UNTIL THE MONEY IS IN HAND, AND EVEN THEN, CONSIDER A PART-TIME JOB YOU LOVE TO KEEP SOME PERSPECTIVE. THAT’S YOUR FIVE FOR FRIDAY. I’M SIMONE DEL ROSARIO AND IT’S JUST BUSINESS.