Contacting Professionals After You Hit A Multi-Million Dollar Prize!

Reply #57

Stack47 — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 02:08:40 GMT

I voted for lawyer in general because a tax lawyer or a financial planner can t help get your money or help you to stay somewhat anonymous. I worked with a couple of guys that split $20 million a few years ago so I tried to locate them for some advice (just incase I hit) but it s weird I can t find them; like they were abducted by aliens.

Other than where you go to cash the ticket, the Ohio Lottery doesn t offer much information. I know you can split the ticket with somebody else or even a... [ More ]

Reply #56

KY Floyd — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 21:41:49 GMT

I think the only way for a name change to work is to pick a common one and just forget the old one entirely. Knowing that John Smith the lottery winner used to be Ezekiel Q Nobodyelsehasthisname won't help people out if they can't find the right John Smith. Out of curiosity I just checked whitepages.com and there are 103 John Smith's listed in Philadelphia. With an unlisted number it wouldn't be easy to track down the right John Smith. Of course you'd only move to Philly (or whereever) after cla... [ More ]

Reply #55

LuckyLilly — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 20:31:02 GMT

Good to know! The Powerball drawing is tonight, so I'll be using this info first thing tomorrow.

Reply #54

CA LotteryGuy — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 20:18:07 GMT

LuckyLilly....California might just work. To be a resident you just have to show intent to live here on a full time basis. The name change paperwork says file in the county where you currently live. Maybe, just maybe.

Once you win you should check with a lawyer here in California and some other states. Heck you will be able to afford it, even with the high hourly rates they charge

Reply #53

dewman48 — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:49:03 GMT

I choose lawyer but I guess if you had a button for all the above I would have choose it and had alot of phone lines busy

Reply #52

LuckyLilly — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:34:31 GMT

Hmm I was wondering about residency requirements for name changes. I'm pretty sure my state only gives ya 6 months to claim your winning ticket or you lose it, so an out-of-state change might not be feasible. Anyone know of a mountain, western, or southwestern state that requires 3 months residency or less

Reply #51

CA LotteryGuy — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:19:41 GMT

LuckyLilly...sounds like a great idea to change your name. However to accomplish this you must change your name where you are a resident, usually for 6 months, this probably varies by state. You have to publish a notice to change your name in a local newspaper where you live for a total of four weeks. This is usually in the classifed Notices section and with any luck no one will read your listing. If they do and mention it you will have an idea of what might be in store when you claim the ti... [ More ]

Reply #50

LuckyLilly — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 18:36:14 GMT

Am I the only one so determined to be anonymous that I'd actually change my name to do it?

So tell me if this would work. Say I have the winning ticket for tonight's Powerball. Tomorrow I go rent an apartment in a city just over the state line, and use that address to apply for a name change in that jurisdiction so it would be published in a paper where nobody knows me.

While waiting for the name change, sell my home and anything else that has my current name on it.

Claim the jac... [ More ]

Reply #49

delS — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:27:20 GMT

Somebody real soon is going to need all of these professionals whether they go anonymous or not. I sure hope that it is I. I have a plan in place, and would gladly accept a $12,000,000 Jackpot; but honestly, I'd like to be the one who won the first ever $400,000,000 Jackpot. Just a dream.

Reply #48

ambelamba — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 02:22:58 GMT

There's no way I can go anonymous in California. I live in California. Well, I don't expect to win a huge jackpot.

Here's what I am gonna do. In fact I have a lot of storied behind me. I don't intend to shy away from public. There are a lot of people whom I want to make them gloat with envy. I'll just go public and sell my story to People magazine. I know that I have to learn to say no. Still, I will definitely hire a lawyer as my buffer for all the contact. I'll publicly clarify that... [ More ]

Reply #47

CA LotteryGuy — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:48:19 GMT

Coin Toss and mangeydog...your points regarding the media hounding of a large jackpot winner are what I also think would occur. However, I think media in this instance refers to the national media; the local media is completely different story.

IMO a jackpot winner of just about any size is going to attract the attention of the local media along with probably some play from the media within the state where they won. The local media will see this as a get in their mind much in the same w... [ More ]

Reply #46

mangeydog — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 05:42:08 GMT

Sorry Tosser, I thought it was clear enough in the overall context of my post that I was referring mainly to the media hounding of a large jackpot winner. The reason that I referred specifically to $250 million+ was that it would be easier to remain anonymous with, let's say, a $45 million win. Because those are not as much of an intriguing story, I think that the press would have more of a whatever attitude to an anonymous winner. The large jackpots tend to capture the minds and imaginations... [ More ]

Reply #45

Coin Toss — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 04:59:52 GMT

mangeydog

I am all for remaining anonymous, but if you win a big jackpot I think you are better off just giving the cursory interview to the media and being done with it.....

If someone hits $250 million (or even a lot less) I'm not so sure they'd give an interview and just be done with it. Between family they never knew they had, neghbors, co-workers, former co-workers, and whole bunches of people with great investment ideas or those wanting to start businesses on someone else's... [ More ]

Reply #44

mangeydog — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 03:51:46 GMT

I am all for remaining anonymous, but if you win a big jackpot I think you are better off just giving the cursory interview to the media and being done with it. The intrigue factor just goes up if someone wins $250 million+ and tries to remain anonymous. You don't necessarily have to go on the Today show or anything, but the harder you try to hide the more they will come after you. And, yes, a plastic surgeon would be on my list of contactees. I have broken my nose four times, and while it looks... [ More ]

Reply #43

delS — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 00:29:04 GMT

This is so funny! Plastic surgeon!!!!! I'll add that the next time

Reply #42

justxploring — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 21:35:41 GMT

Everyone here is always talking about remaining anonymous. So maybe Plastic Surgeon should be added to the list.

Reply #41

psykomo — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 21:19:09 GMT

AFTER..........LOSING.........!!!!!!!!!

$100.00.................................$$$$$$$$$$$.......................WITH MM

QUICK-TRIX' sssssssssssssss$$$$$$$$$$$.......................MABY!!!!!

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Reply #40

dingo — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:21:43 GMT

If you could plan ahead, then it's not a windfall fortune.

Why do you need a tax lawyer but not a genral lawyer to do paper work?

How many people think that they will hit the Powerball jackpot tonight?

Probably, millions of folk will have tickets under their pillows and pray to God before they go to sleep. That include me. Amen

Good luck to the winners.

Reply #39

amsoly41 — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:56:24 GMT

Good Point.

Reply #38

Coin Toss — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:03:53 GMT

amsoly41

Oh, good for those people in South Carolina. I'm not at all saying staying anonymous can't be done, I'm just saying know the potential traps .

Reply #37

Kidzmom — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 17:52:01 GMT

Tax Attorney would be my first contact. I would only seek advice, I will not sign a thing because they too can be crooks! I will leave the accountants alone, I will not end up like Jack Whitaker!!.

K.

Reply #36

DoubleDown — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 17:22:02 GMT

" Does anyone know whom the person or persons are "

Nope .

They claimed anonymously and stayed that way. At least so far.....

Good for them !!!!

DD

Reply #35

amsoly41 — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 17:08:03 GMT

Coin Toss

Well on PB Winners page I found under

2004 Winners

Anonymous

South Carolina June 26, 2004 Cash $34,231,030.83

Does anyone know whom the person or persons are?

I think I will take my chances in SC

Reply #34

CA LotteryGuy — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:09:24 GMT

justxploring and Guru 101....so I guess the question is should one put their winning ticket in what is considered a very safe and secure place (safety deposit box) or keep it yourself?

There is risk in both options Should you put the ticket in a safety deposit box with a major bank (this would answer the bank failure problem and the vault most likely is fire proof), let no one know you have the ticket and get your plans set you should be in good shape. This course of action versus keeping... [ More ]

Reply #33

Coin Toss — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:32:30 GMT

amsoly41

This is from the Powerball website FAQ page:

CAN I REMAIN ANONYMOUS WHEN I HIT THE JACKPOT?

All but three states (DE, KS, ND) have laws that require the lottery to release the name and city of residence to anyone who asks. One state (SC) will keep your name secret if you request it, but if someone files a Freedom of Information Act request, you may have to file a plea with the judge to deny it. Photos and press conferences are always up to you. Most of the time, it is advisa... [ More ]

Reply #32

amsoly41 — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:02:31 GMT

Thank you CA LotteryGuy and justxploring

You have been a great help.

Thanks to TODD for this great website

It is very informative.

So if a winner of a large Lottery prize wants to remain anonymous

One should only play in a state that allows you to remain anonymous (KS, MD, ND, DE, SC, LA, NH, OH, OK, PA)

If that is feasible where one lives.

Because forming a blind trust will not gain you anything in some states.

I guess I will be drivi... [ More ]

Reply #31

justxploring — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 06:19:15 GMT

Sorry everyone that I keep posting on this thread, but I just read this comment, and Guru again has a good point. How would you prove you had the winning lottery ticket in it? What if there was a fire? I would sleep with it, wear it, never let it out of my sight until it was validated. This is copied from the FDIC web site

Safe Deposit Boxes

The contents of a safe deposit box are not insured by the FDIC. (Make sure you read the contract you signed with the bank when you rented the safe

Reply #30

Guru101 — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 04:36:35 GMT

Safe deposit box? No thank you. We're talking about a lottery ticket worth lots of money. It just a little slip of paper, small and fragile. As soon as I find out it's a jackpot winner, the only hands that ticket will be in is mine. I would not let anyone touch it, and probably not let anyone see it until I go to claim my prize. That might sound obsessive, but a tiny slip of paper worth millions of dollars is something that shouldn't be taken lightly.

Reply #29

justxploring — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 23:58:17 GMT

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer or financial advisor. LOL

I agree with CAlotteryguy. It's very hard to keep your picture out of the paper, especially during a slow news week. Also, the form in which you claim the prize isn't just the issue here, it's the law regarding anonymity which is a state decision. Also some states allow only one individual to claim a jackpot and others allow several to be paid. So if you win in a state that will only pay one claimant and you are in a pool or simply sh... [ More ]

Reply #28

amsoly41 — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 19:15:36 GMT

Now this is interesting and opens up a whole lot of questions.

I live in Tennessee.

On the tnlottery dot com website.

It states the following in Faq section.

[The prize can be issued to an individual, corporation, organization, partnership, trust or estate. Any non-individual claimant must provide documentation of authority to the TEL before the prize will be paid.

Can the winner of a large Lottery prize remain anonymous?

Tennessee law requires the Lottery

Reply #27

codmander — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 16:51:26 GMT

you forgot----------- contac aliens

Reply #26

CA LotteryGuy — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 16:32:56 GMT

One of the things that frustrates me is the so-called experts that make statements about claiming the money in a blind trust. Yes, it said, in a perfect world; but we live in the real world. Claiming in a blind trust or any other type of tool that allows you to stay unknown is not an option in most places. While not an expert on the situation, I am aware of only 10 states (KS, MD, ND, DE, SC, LA, NH, OH, OK, PA) that allow a winner to claim as anonymous or in a trust.

It is a virtual c... [ More ]

Reply #25

amsoly41 — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:43:22 GMT

HERE IS A SNIPPET FROM [THS INVESTIGATES CURSE OF THE LOTTERY]

SOME GOOD ADVISE.

Money experts advise laying low and taking a deep breath

Before you hand over your lucky numbers.

Don't tell anybody.

Put the winning Lottery Ticket in a safe deposit box.

One of the first things a lottery winner should do in a perfect world is not claim the ticket in their name. You can form a blind trust, and you can have the lottery winnings put into the trust.

Now you have to know what y... [ More ]

Reply #24

justxploring — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 19:10:32 GMT

You make a valid point here, Guru101. I like your comment. Everyone always advises winners to seek professional help. Many of us don't know a good lawyer, so we'd have to get a referral. My past experience with both financial planners and lawyers hasn't been that great and I've done much better making my own decisions. For some reason, I am then influenced by the idea that they know more than I do and then I lose all over again.

That said, at this point if I won $20 million, I would have... [ More ]

Reply #23

psykomo — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 07:33:48 GMT

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in FORRANT.................of ....................purlitterrrrPSYKOMO!!!!!!!!!!!!

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IN..............THEIR.................................SAFE-DEPOSIT---------BOXE$

OH................YEA..................................PLAY QP'sssssssssssssssss

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Reply #22

Guru101 — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 03:36:45 GMT

Where's the Just claim your money option

Reply #21

psykomo — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 01:26:22 GMT

PSYKOMO.............voted............

........ PRIEST .........

even.... JACK BLACK agrees with ME!!

....bumped into @ a crap table in Vegas.....

He ain't broke...........................yetttt

Reply #20

justxploring — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 00:26:26 GMT

I've always wondered, if you came into a multi-million dollar jackpot, would there be a moral obligation so to speak to move over and free the job up for someone who really needs it?

The Chicago printer who won $43,000,000 and said he'd keep working for $650 a week comes to mind. I don't think he lasted a month. Coin Toss

Yes, Coin Toss. I'm not sure about a moral obligation, but most people would resent a multi-millionaire at a regular job. Of course it depends on the job, si... [ More ]

Reply #19

Coin Toss — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 00:05:29 GMT

TheGameGrl

I wonder about:

5: My employer, Not to quit but to request a week or two off to travel.

I've always wondered, if you came into a multi-million dollar jackpot, would there be a moral obligation so to speak to move over and free the job up for someone who really needs it?

The Chicago printer who won $43,000,000 and said he'd keep working for $650 a week comes to mind. I don't think he lasted a month.

8: My Doctor . Check up and run test so my ticker keeps ticking

M... [ More ]

Reply #18

KY Floyd — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 07:05:11 GMT

Assuming LA taxes their lottery winnings, yes.

Reply #17

TheGameGrl — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:05:08 GMT

I agree SirMetro, a bodyguard is needed in some areas. Folks in my town have bodyguards to guard there dentures at night! Those denture stalkers are notorious. ( just jesting)

My list is not necssarily prioritized but a necessity should I be blessed to claim a large sum.

1: My pastor. To bless my family and myself during this change that is evitable to transpire.

2: A Great Lawyer. To set up my provisions during interum of deposit to my account

3: A financial advisor

4: My bank.

Reply #16

SirMetro — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:12:09 GMT

Humm...I didn't see professional Body Guard as an option and with how nuts folks are these days, damn near need one if you get anything of any significant value

Reply #15

pigsNtrees — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 18:50:31 GMT

I voted for lawyer, as I would want to put my winnings in a blind trust. Why, a blind trust you say? So I could stay anonymous.

BTW I live in Texas where there is no state tax, however I cross the border into La. to buy Powerball. If I where to win, would I have to pay La. state tax

Reply #14

Coin Toss — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 04:52:17 GMT

Justxploring

Oh for the old days of Vegas. The right name was truly an abbracadabra .

The guy you met obviously knew somebody in the Outfit .

The town was so much better when they ran it, really.

Reply #13

DoubleDown — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 17:14:26 GMT

JXP,

Just because I won doesn't mean I would stop gambling...

I would still enjoy it, and perhaps even enjoy it more with the pressure off...

Yes, the shows are tempting, but then again....so is a 5 deck shoe.

I like to gamble, and I can afford it.

I would not be a David Edwards type, trust me................

Reply #12

justxploring — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:31:18 GMT

Funny you should mention that...in the 70s my ex did a favor for a man who was down out. He said he worked in Vegas years back before hitting hard times and gave him the name of a man before we went on vacation. We never asked too many questions, but every time we mentioned we were guests of this man we were comped and escorted to the best table or to the front of the line at a show. We walked into a restaurant he recommended and handed a card to the maitre de and suddenly had 3 servers and... [ More ]

Reply #11

justxploring — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 15:54:29 GMT

Third, travel agent --to book my trip to Vegas !!!!!!!!!!

I hope you call a psychiatrist before you book that trip to Vegas, DD. Unless you are talking about enjoying the shows. For me it would be too tempting to gamble more than I should, knowing I have a lot of money to drop, so I would stay away from casinos. The odds never change, just the amount you gamble.

I like the Safe Deposit idea. A few days to think and calm down are very important. I'd probably just tuck my ticket in a... [ More ]

Reply #10

tiggs95 — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 15:43:38 GMT

I'm just going to cash the check and carry the money around with me..:):)..

Reply #9

sook7b — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 08:32:45 GMT

my voted for tax lawer,beacause thats a few others were left out like the bank for an safty depost box for i have up to 180 days to claim evey thing.

Reply #8

Coin Toss — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 07:17:55 GMT

Trust me, if you become a lotto winner and want to go to Vegas just pick a casino and let them know that, they'll send a jet for you, you won't need a travel agent.

Reply #7

Just6ntlc — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 05:25:20 GMT

delS, my vote is accountant if I win a jackpot.

Reply #6

konane — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:51:54 GMT

Yep, tax attorney first. Also if you pay an attorney enough and they can be your mouthpiece/firewall for press releases, etc., which could be a good privacy investment in the long run.

Reply #5

delS — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:30:00 GMT

Thanks Todd

Reply #4

DoubleDown — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:29:48 GMT

Very first thing would be a tax attorney.

Would not need a shrink, priest, or divorce attorney.

Second, financial planner.

Third, travel agent --to book my trip to Vegas

Reply #3

CA LotteryGuy — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:29:30 GMT

I say an Lawyer in General to help you keep as low a profile as possible. Once you are as below the radar as much as possible, then a Tax Lawyer to know how much you have to play with, then a financial planner to help you play .

Reply #2

Todd — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:24:26 GMT

I say Tax Attorney is first.

I love the list of choices

Reply #1

Coin Toss — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:22:19 GMT

I voted a lawyer....

Since the topic is contacting people, I have to add this:

A guy I was in the Army with had his own personal plan if he hit the lottery:

Buy a Harley

Never spend another day working for someone else

Look up every @#$% 6 !#$% he ever had worked for

Contacting Professionals After You Hit A Multi-Million Dollar Prize!

delS — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:00:04 GMT

Just curious as to what LP members would do? Get some laughs out of the answers