All she has to do to collect a $560 million lotto jackpot....

[cubby]

it's pure dickishness on the part of the state to say she's not allowed to assign it to a trust because she signed something.

Agreed. Not sure why they are making this such a big deal. There isn't any lack of clarity who won it. She just wants to stay anonymous.

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I'm just going to delete that comment. I read it as she wanted to collect the money with just a face and a winning ticket, no name or ID, nothing. That she wanted to remain anonymous to everyone... not just the public.

Yeah, even though you clarified, you're going to get hammered because people (including myself on other threads) start reading and commenting before they finish reading the entire thread.

[Mister Cheese]

How the fuck is this a tough decision? Take the money and move if people won't stop pestering you. Find some other back-woods state and live in peace. Move your whole family there if need be. It's not like you have to knock on your neighbors door and tell them you're a multi-millionaire like some sex offender. It's fine if she doesn't want this to be public, but if she seriously doesn't take the money because of it she is utterly retarded.

Also, fuck those morons who ruin their lives after winning the lottery. If you're too stupid to handle that kind of money, you never deserved it in the first place. Seriously, how hard is it to take half of your winnings right off the bat and go to a reputable investment firm for help?

These "reputable investment firms" are usually the ones that rob these people. You go from making 40-60 thousand a year on average let's say to being in the top of the 1%. You have no idea what to do with all this money. It isn't as simple as buying a nice house, a nice car, and investing it. There are better ways to do it. Which is why these people will approach you instead of the other way around.

[Pratt]

Is a name change public record? Even if it is I bet you could get it sealed.

[Zoldor]

Get my money is what I'd do then I'd hire a sweet body guard detail like all Celebs do. And I'd probably move out of my current town, not that I hate it, but I'd like to try some other places for a bit and travel.

Name is one thing, but I find address and phone number to be another issues all together. I don't give my phone number to people I know that often.

The reason for the law is to prove the winner, because in the US we are well known for not trusting anyone and our companies don't help themselves. So we need proof someone actually won and that person is alive and not the daughter of the state lottery commission. Stupid law, but I do understand its existence. Instead of publishing they should hold the information, but make it available through a FOIA request or something like that.

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These "reputable investment firms" are usually the ones that rob these people. You go from making 40-60 thousand a year on average let's say to being in the top of the 1%. You have no idea what to do with all this money. It isn't as simple as buying a nice house, a nice car, and investing it. There are better ways to do it. Which is why these people will approach you instead of the other way around.

With 460 mill, you shouldn't be using a single firm in the first place. Multiple firms, multiple investment styles, Accountants that check your accountants etc. You don't even have to invest all that wisely. Just put large chunks into stable companies. Microsoft, Walmart, Alphabet, Apple, etc. These companies may go down in value, but there is no forseeable bankruptcy with them, enjoy your dividends and bank your other funds.

Smart investing isn't rocket science unless you are trying to pick the next big thing, if you just need your money to make money it isn't that tough. With those kind of funds you are always going to get wrecked in taxes, but you have a half a billion, you'll be fine.

[Carnedge]

It depends on the person.

I myself would claim it. I'm not afraid of shooting people that pose a threat to me. Thank you Marine Corps.

Also, unlike that lady, I hate my community and keep to myself. I don't really talk to my family and they have learned to leave me alone. I'm happy.

[Rumred]

I would make my name public since i would be moving out of state anyway. I have no family that would at this time benefit from killing me. The only annoying thing would be extended family and old friends coming out of the wood work for hand outs. That is why i would move shortly after.

[Moralgy]

Take the money and vanish from the radar for a few years.

[lockedout]

There has been plenty of interviews of post-large-wins where people complained about how people they didn't know begged them for money for weeks, months, even years later. They were sued by people for all sorts of slights that no one would realistically sue. They were hounded by family and friends who were jealous.

No thanks.

I could care less. If I had a choice I would rather be anonymous but if it's 560 million and I have to be public I have no problem.

[ranzino]

I could care less. If I had a choice I would rather be anonymous but if it's 560 million and I have to be public I have no problem.

technically your "public fame" is very short: you could leave the lottery company building and head home just to pick up your travel bag and then out of the door and gone. deposit the sum on the bank of course, but you are able to stroll out of town before your pic hits the newspapers.
everything after is best looked on from afar.

[Grapemask]

I'd say she's crazy, but I think a lot of people have no idea what kind of crazy shit happens when you win the lottery and other people know about it. Pretty much everyone in that scenario has said it has not ended well.

Everyone you know will now know you have a lot of money, and if you were playing the lottery, that means your social and family spheres are likely mostly people that don't have money. Just imagine knowing that every single person in your life right now will probably have to be cut out, because the feelings of resentment will make both your life and theirs unbearable. And then on top of it, you'll have the whack-job strangers that'll track you down to hit you up for money, or do other things to you for money. There are good reasons to be scared, entering a new life where you'll always have to look over your shoulder.

[ranzino]

yep, your "old" live ends as soon you are posing with the novelty cheque to the cam.
but earlier, if you tell everybody and grandma about the real sum. rule 1: dont say that. let them think it's just some ten thousands.

[Stormspark]

Depends - do I value my life or $560 million dollars more.

For me the choice is simple - I don't have a life, so I'd take the $560 million AFTER I'd updated my will - so that when I die from the anxiety, the money could go to a trust of my choice.

The other thing I might do is attempt to bargain with the state to take say - 10% of the prize in exchange for anonymous access.

Eh, what I'd probably do is make my name public and then just move to another state.

[schwarzkopf]

Eh, what I'd probably do is make my name public and then just move to another state.

Just to correct your plan ---> **try to move to another state <---

[PuppetShowJustice]

Claim money, take the lump sum (even if it is severely cut down, when we're talking figures like 560 million as a baseline it doesn't matter anyways), leave the country. I can happy live the rest of my life in the middle of nowhere in a pile of money.

[ranzino]

Claim money, take the lump sum (even if it is severely cut down, when we're talking figures like 560 million as a baseline it doesn't matter anyways), leave the country. I can happy live the rest of my life in the middle of nowhere in a pile of money.

if it helps you decide: lump sum to 560m was 352m and minus 25 % fed tax it was 264m.
https://www.usamega.com/powerball-ja...asp?d=1/6/2018

now have fun with.

[Alvito]

In Germany as well. You decide whether or not you want to go public with it.

In the US it depends on the state you live in and even in ones that make the information public there are ways around it. For the same reasons many lotto winners are broke a few years down the road people fall into the traps of making it all public record. They get excited about the riches, don't do the due diligence and end up in over their heads.

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Claim money, take the lump sum (even if it is severely cut down, when we're talking figures like 560 million as a baseline it doesn't matter anyways), leave the country. I can happy live the rest of my life in the middle of nowhere in a pile of money.

Some states end up not paying out the lump sums. The winner from Illinois a few years ago still hasn't received the lump sum they requested. The state finally started paying them smaller amounts or they were going to be removed from the powerball. Winning a large powerball is a huge blow to the state you bought the ticket in and they will fight tooth and nail to not pay or delay payment as best they can.