I would choose to remain anonymous. Winners have enough to deal with without all the added worry/pressure of relatives, friends. strangers asking for money. Also, just the added rick of people harming you because you now have money. We all have read the horror stories.
I know that the California lottery, in their media releases, have stated the winner wishes to remain anonymous. I have seen it many times but the problem is that if anyone asks, the Lottery will release the winner's name because of the California Public Records Act.
I saw this in the California Lottery Regulations and I was wondering if anyone here knew if this meant that it is possible to claim your prize annonymously.
H. CLAIMING APRIZE OR AWARD
1. General Regulations (Draw and Scratchers®)
a. Individuals under 18 years of age and those named in Government Code section 8880.321(g) are ineligible to receive a prize. If an ineligible individual makes a claim for a prize either individually or as part of a group ofclaimants, that portion of the prize attributable to the ineligible claimant shall remain in the prize fund.
b. All prize payments or promotional awards are subject to deductions and offsets, including taxes, as provided by law.
c. Prize winnings shall be paid to a natural person. Natural person includes, when applicable, multiple persons as denoted on the multiple ownership claim form.
(1) Under unique conditions, the Director may allow prize winnings to be paid to someone other than a natural person. These other entities are:
(a) A non-profit 501-C corporation; or
(b) A revocable trust where the grantor is the winner and the trust is linked to the grantor’s social security number.
Also this:
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF WINNER’S NAME
1. The California State Lottery Commission finds that a winner’s name, the name and location of the retailer who sold the winning ticket and the amount of prize (including gross amount and net payment, if applicable) may be public records under the California Public Records Act and therefore subject to public disclosure. The Lottery will not disclose personal information (e.g., age, home address, employer, phone number, etc.) without consent of the winner unless required by law.
2. The Lottery may announce the public information identified above in any manner determined by the Director, including via the news media.
I bolded the word "may" because that is the magic word. So does that mean that if the Director decides that you can claim as a trust or LLC, then they do not have to release your name under the California Public Records Act but just the name of the LLC or trust? And under what unique conditions would the Director allow it?
Anyone know?