Includes video report
By Todd Northrop
Some lottery winners spend months hiring financial experts and planning how to best claim their lottery jackpot, but not so with the winner of the largest lottery jackpot ever claimed by a single ticket.
Upon learning that she held the winning ticket, 53-year-old Mavis Wanczyk just walked into Massachusetts Lottery headquarters the morning after the drawing and handed over the ticket for validation of her prize. Her half-billion-dollar lump-sum cash prize.
She could have taken the jackpot as a $758.7 million prize paid in 30 installments over 29 years, but instead Mavis chose to take a lump sum payment of $480 million, which works out to $336 million after initial taxes are withheld by the lottery.
Last night Mavis was heading home from work at Mercy Medical Center with her firefighter friend. As they discussed the Powerball drawing that just took place they joked that someone was going to win because it was all "birthday numbers" drawn. (Birthday numbers are numbers all 31 or lower.)
As her friend rattled off the numbers that were drawn, Mavis started to realize that she actually had all of them. Her friend took a look at her ticket, he told her to immediately sign it because she was the big winner.
Mavis had chosen all of her own numbers on the winning ticket as a random assortment of various birthdays, and the number 4 is a lucky Keno number of hers. She also played a couple of Quick Picks that did not win.
She is a regular lottery player, mainly of scratch-off games. It was a "pipe dream" of hers to win a big lottery jackpot one day.
Mavis has a daughter, 31, and a son, 26. She has been an employee of Mercy Medical Center for 32 years.
The winning Powerball numbers drawn Wednesday night were 6, 7, 16, 23, and 26, with Powerball number 4. The Power Play number was 4.
At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Mavis, accompanied by her mother and two sisters, briefly spoke about her experience.
When asked if she was quitting her job, Mavis said she already called work and told them she "would not be coming back."
Mavis, who lives in Chicopee, Massachusetts, where the winning ticket was purchased, plans to do nothing immediately except "go hide in her bed" until she can figure out some more concrete plans.
She won't be buying a new car, as she just finished paying off a car she bought last September.
Although Mavis didn't display any signs of wanting to rashly spend her new fortune, State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, who accompanied Mavis at the press conference, said that the Treasurer's office and Office of Economic Empowerment both have financial counseling and resources available to assist Mavis and other lottery winners.
The winning Powerball ticket was purchased at Pride Station & Store, located at 27 Montgomery Street in Chicopee, Massachusetts.
The store will receive a $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, and the store owner has already informed the lottery that he will be donating the entire amount to charity.
VIDEO: Watch the press conference
Oh boy..
That financial lady is really hogging the spotlight. Back off! It's Mavis' Day.
Single winner!!!!!!
Congrats to her. However, I'm praying for her. This is simply way to soon. No consulting with tax, financial and investment advisors is not the way you want to start off living with $300 + millions. Not to forget she let her face be seen. She has opened herself up in ways she will regret. My jaw dropped when I learned of this. I pray the best for her.
I agree 100% way too soon. And she should have created a trust in order to remain anonymous.
Good luck to her
I'm so confused why she would run and come forwards right away? The money's not going anywhere. I would do my <snip> best to shield my identity first, that's for sure.
She came out too soon but then again nobody knows much about her she should have thought of a backup game plan
Maybe Mavis was concerned about the little paper ticket being destroyed, lost, stolen, etc...
Congrats!!!
WOW,,,,,
Hoping things go well for the winner and that she is prepared to be overwhelmed by all the scammers and new "friends" wanting money. It's difficult enough to navigate the waters of newfound wealth with planning and forethought before claiming a big prize...
Honestly i would have remained anonynous between 6 months and the yr. What the remainder family my sister and other relatives and I have left living I would have had a game plan going before coming out to being the winner.
This woman's Facebook page is still open for the world to see. Friends list and family wide open. Nice people are warning her to set it private on her public wall. Her "friends" are laughing and saying to mind their own business. I won't Dox her and link it but she absolutely thinks she wants all the attention that is coming her way from this right now. I hope she gets smart fast or this will end exactly as you expect it will.
Congratulations on your win
She's gonna be "Mave The Rave" to all the boys now....... G5
Setting it private means nothing. Something smells funny about this whole thing now now that you mentioned about Facebook. If I were her I would deactivate any social media sites anything like that because she's going to get harassed by someone she's going to piss off the wrong person
It's definitely her real page. She has pictures of her and her son from years ago and is friends with the son from the picture and he has pictures from several years ago. You can't fake the date on the posts. They are not playing it smart at all. They are giving scammers all the info they need. It's sad for her to let her friends mock those giving honestly good advice. You tend to be like those you surround yourself with.
Congratulations to her and best of luck creating an epic future from her good luck!
Awesome that she chose her own numbers.
I'm confused why her friends are mocking people and commenting on her page, they didn't win anything, she did. Unless and until she gives them anything they are in the same boat they were in yesterday. They might think they are still her friends, she however might think very differently after yesterday.
WOOOOO HOOOOOOOO
Excciiiiitttttiiiiiiiinggggg
Give you a little lesson about Facebook and any social media page it's a cloud storage everything is stored in there. She needs to deactivate everything and her move isn't the smartest one. You're absolutely right about one thing the scammers out there and all the hackers. I deactivated that site two years ago and I'm never going back on
We all march to the beat of a different drum. Maybe she already prepared for a day like this and was just waiting. When I win the monster jackpot, I will validate my ticket first thing in the morning. It is called being prepared. I will not be chewing gum or opt for a press conference unless it's mandatory. Either way, she is a winner and a big heartfelt congratulations to her.
***I LOVE THE FACT THAT ABOUT 40 2ND PRIZES{MILLIONAIRES} WERE ALSO MADE OVERNIGHT...VERY SWEET.***
So well stated! I'd do the same given the lag of time til the funds actually hit her bank.why wait and have others controlling your funds. Massachusetts releases the name anyways. Which I am in support of. She is 53..and smart enough to claim and get it over with.
Honestly i disagree and the whole social media and internet. People need to think first about different things and she did one thing right quarter job that's cool check the finances trust who do you trust I wouldn't trust that co-worker.
And it sounds like she's not smart the way she did it and I'm going to hate to say this she might actually lose one third of that money fast
Mavis wanted her quality sleep tonight and all in the future.
wow. just wow. that is incredibly fast to claim. wow
Sooo no one wants to talk about the third mysterious black ball that was drawn in lastnight powerball numbers...OK but im glad i save it before it was taken off the internet...
And picked them all by herself WOW!!!!
Lol She is worried about her. Imagine the bad publicity for the lottery if she is harmed.
The winner even admitted she was going home...hiding in her bed. I am shocked by her claiming so quickly. I hope she rounds up a good team of advisors but I am worried about her. She may be back in the news in a couple of months but I hope not.
I watched live and I have the drawing video below. I don't see a mysterious black ball.
Mysterious black ball. I watched and maybe I missed something. Can you please point it out?
Conspiracy I watched it again and didn't see a black ball. Maybe something else.
Congratulations to Mavis. I would have turned the ticket in too--not to be worried about it. She has a couple of weeks to get a lawyer and her financial folk together.
I would disagree. Okay she quit her job. However the problem now is on social media. There are certain things you can't control. You can't control people. It is plastered all over the place.
It is a visual illusion. Shadows between and behind the balls rolling around.
Dying laughing at some of the comments I am reading on posts about this woman on the Internet where you have people stating that they won because they didn't buy a ticket or don't play the lottery and I'm like umm, she's holding a check in her hand for $758 million, how are you a winner again? That kind of logic really makes me shake my head. Most of these people can probably barely afford to pay their cellphone bill every month, they should probably take a chance with the lottery, they need it.
... Or maybe she claimed it before the rest of the lottery group found out about it!
I didnt make this up,I only went by what I read...
‘No, No, Dear God No,’ Mumbles Powerball Presenter After Drawing Pitch-Black Ball
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Staring down in shock and turning pale, the host of Wednesday night’s $700 million Powerball lottery reportedly muttered to herself in utter horror after the randomized drawing produced an entirely unmarked, pitch-black ball. “32, 16—Oh, dear God.... No, no, no,” said Powerball host Laura Johnson, who trembled visibly as the black and otherwise featureless ball came to a rest at the end of the machine’s display tube. “How could this happen? Oh Christ, not yet! Please, not yet! Jesus, they said we’d have more time. They said we’d … oh no, no—” At press time, viewers of the drawing reported seeing the studio lights flicker followed by an unearthly scream just as the televised feed cut to static.
I guess you're not aware that The Onion is a satire/comedy website. All fake stories.
I guess I wasnt but now I am thanks 2 u...
My all time favorite Onion report:
NSFW
Lol onion play 2 much but my first time hearing of them they had me fooled...
So you believe everything that you hear?
Interesting thought. The whirlwind speed at which she cashed it does seem curious. Hopefully, the Massachusetts Lottery did a cursory review of the ticket purchase before going public. Being she picked the numbers is a huge plus (even more so, if she's played those #s in the past), since most group plays are QPs.
On a related note, based on what I read, the Mass Lottery initially identified the wrong location of where the ticket was sold. How does a mistake like that happen?
Doesn't inspire much confidence. I mentioned in a previous thread regarding the potential of a participating PB or MM lottery messing up their numbers file and submitting incorrect data to the master file. Not aware of it ever happening, but seems within the realm of possibility given the seemingly slipshod operation of some lotteries. If that were to occur, many players would think twice buying a PB or MM ticket ever again. Look at what happened with Hot Lotto.
Rambling on, but probably a blessing the jackpot was hit before sales got super-heavy, which could have strained the operation of some participating PB lotteries.
That is not what I would have done, but best of luck to her. It is not just what to do with the money, it is also managing your life in the bright spotlight as a newly famous and rich person. Some time to think, plan and get some advice may have been good. Let's see how this works out for her.
Wow so I am looking at the facebook page of the winners son and daughter. I'm bored sorry. her daughter posts that people shouldn't be that excited for her because her and her Mom do not talk. Makes sense why it was only the winners sisters and mom at the press conference and not her two kids. A news article said the dad died in a hit and run last year. I cant imagine being in the kids shoes. True enough they were not the winners but to know your mom won that jackpot and you may not see a dime of it??? Ouch. I'd rather be in my shoes and have won nothing then be in that position.
People need to watch what they post on facebook. I am not on there as I deactivated however. I guess we will all start finding out soon more bits and details about the family.
Mavis thinking * could be: Let me claim now, and go into hiding. The press will have no " l wonder who won, when will they come forward, how many winners are there?"Mavis has essentially stuck a needle in the " who could it be" balloon. It's a classic move, you know that " Nothing to see here folk, move along."
Maybe it was the eclipse that created the illusion.
Solar eclipses do funny things to TVs.
.
Still, I just want a prize #2, which can happen on any MM or PB lotto drawing.
There was no 32 ball drawn in last nights PB drawing. However in the official drawing, I did notice that after the Power Ball (the 4 ball) was drawn, you could see the balls spinning around in place. Particularly the 15 ball.
As a previous jackpot winner, I must say.... Everything decision that this lady has made to this point has been the wrong one. She is really putting herself in a bad spot as far as attention goes. Who knows what the reason is, but maybe she doesnt have the mental facilities to understand that this isnt the same as cashing in a $100 winning ticket... There are a lot of insane people out there, and this woman is putting a giant target on her back. I hope for nothing but the best for her, but at this point, its almost impossible to think that she will be 100% safe.
This lady didn't wait either:
A Georgia woman named Ira Curry has come forward as one of two winners of the $648 million Mega Millions jackpot, less than 24 hours after the lucky drawing for the second biggest lottery jackpot in U.S. history, a lottery official said Wednesday.
Curry, 56, did not appear at an afternoon news conference announcing her as the winner. A state lottery spokeswoman said she was taking the lump sum payment for her share of the jackpot, valued at over $173 million.
Source: Ga. Woman Comes Forward to Claim Share of $648 Million Mega Millions Jackpot - NBC4 Washington http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Mega-Millions-Jackpot-Climbs-Toward-a-New-Record-235992061.html#ixzz4qjocn7nC
Follow us: @nbcwashington on Twitter | NBCWashington on Facebook
I think she made a bad move too but we need to cut her some slack.
One article says the PB winner's husband was killed a couple of years ago while at a bus stop that got hit by a drunk driver.
How long before she goes bankrupt? 10 years? OK, she won a lot of money, 20 years perhaps.
Coming forward too soon! She's on that emotional high that happens at the begining. This is wreckless! I fear this is going to end badly for this winner. Precautions were not implemented before turning in the ticket. A Trust would have been perfect.
Congrats lady.....I wonder if she is single or divorced.You will see the marriage proposals jump out the blue lol
So the odds of even an astronomicl game can truly favor the players on ovcasion.. almost 36 winners this draw.. Congratulations to the winners
Watertown, Mass, Side Bar for Consideration-
Massachusetts has more repeat lottery winners than any other state
BUT WHY???
"Over the last six years, four members of the Mohamed Jaafar family of Watertown, Mass have cashed in more than 7,000 winning lottery tickets and collected a cool $11 million."
Simple Math.....Lottery in profit -Jackpot goes
I couldn't have said it better, Wish the best for her but something tells me she's going to regret claiming this as fast as she did.
The winner posted on the newly created fb media page that those are fake posts. And maybe she chose not to publicly identify her family members or they wanted their privacy. If a relative of mine won, I would not attend. And if I won, I would attend any mandatory press conference with my tough looking old line counsel only. I would not want family members to be exposed, especially younger ones. And I get along with all of my family but do not expect they owe me money if they win a jp.
2 things:
Yeah, she claimed too fast. Maybe she already has a plan (?), a secret plan to defeat the scammers and thieves (hopefully). If it was me, I would have waited and got all my ducks in a row, for sure, and I wouldn't have even had a press conference or released a statement. She owes nobody nothing, especially now, and the sooner she realizes that, the better.
The taller woman in the red dress, her sister I believe, is easy on the eyes.
I normally don't date older women, but I'm willing to give her a chance...
LOL! And Elvis is still alive! He's living with Bigfoot in a cave in the North Carolina mountains. Well, that's what The Onion posted so it must be true!
After watching the video i wonder if the lady lottery commission has a thing for her. As for the sister lol.
Am I the only one annoyed by the gum chewing during the entire video?
I think you're out of luck. I suspect the fireman "friend" driving her home from work beat you to it.
Dopey, that was the first thing I noticed when she came out in front of the cameras ....just remember....You can't fix "gormless".
It's all about the taxes for that ugly spokeswoman!
Ya viruses and hackers always post fake news and comments from me on my locked down Facebook wall. /s
Man, do I agree with you 110%. Leaving yourself wide open like that for any nut on the planet to find you and do God-knows-what to get at your money, is naivety to the -inth degree! (Let alone what they may do to your children.) But, I guess she and her friends (who are telling people to mind their own business trying to give some advice for safety) will find out. I wish her the best.
My buddy won the Mega Millions years ago and he actually moved away for about 8 years before he finally came back here, he was even on one of those lottery shows on TV, but that was years after he won. He actually won it with another guy, that guy didn't move away and chose to spend his half on the usual, exotic dancers and drugs and man the one dancer he was engaged to took him for everything, left him broke and then ran off to another state with another guy. My buddy on the other hand is still living well and only lives off his interest, house and cars paid for. Who knows what will happen to this woman but I don't have high hopes based on her initial behavior and decisions.
I hope that the local law enforcement has contacted Mavis and told her all about her new position in life. She needs to think like a hundred millionaire.
I will be in a hotel. Good Luck to her but I guess she does not need any more good luck.
To you and all the others saying she claimed her prize too soon; how long did you wait before cashing your multi-million dollar winning ticket?
History shows those people that are commenting what normally happens. Time will tell what happens here, that we can all agree on. Hopefully things work out for her.
Hearing from Mavis that she used various birthday numbers of her family and only playing "birthday" numbers I have learned not to tell any player how to choose their numbers. Each player is free and responsible for how they choose their numbers.
Gloria C. MacKenzie used a quick pick and that worked well for her.
Most lottery players are curious about which system won, Self-pick or Quick Pick.
JACKPOT ="15 Things That Change Once You Are Rich" -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrvW6BQiVos
Be careful for What You Wishes For-
Eddessa_Knight
CONGRATULATIONS to you and I wish you the best!!!
No, history shows the danger is vastly overrated, esp. by * some * in this thread. History shows a lottery winner is more likely to be killed by a family member or friend than a total stranger. In fact, history shows a lottery winner is also more likely to die of a drug overdose or suicide than by the hands of a stranger OR family member.
Anyone heard anything more about the Robinson's (PB winner wack-o's from TN that went on the Today show). The only thing I could find is that they bought a GIANT house, if that is even true.
Everyone knows to WAIT before coming forth....she won't be able to trust anybody now??? Wow!
Glad to see it was a fellow New England Patriots fan that won the Powerball jackpot. She's obviously used to big improbable wins!
Not sure of the concerns over her alleged fb page or social media. Not everyone has a fb page and a lot of people use fake names due to work concerns and a lot of employers have restrictions on social media.
I bet her real page has another name. I have a neighbor who is retired from the bureau of prisons and uses her cat's name vs her own on fb. I use a french name so I can say what I want!!! Lol
Congratulations Mavis!!! Hopefully she gets away and get her affairs in order.
Two things:
First: People are assuming that Mavis doesn't have a plan. Hmm...She said it was her "pipe dream."
Mavis was living in an apartment. She was seen at the apartment on Friday morning. I would not be surprised if she hasn't already removed what she wanted to keep and, split. Why would she need or, want to return?
She stated that she wanted to come forward and get the interview out of the way. I think someone (maybe from the Mass Lottery?), convinced her to do that. It may not have been part of her original plan, but, I believe that she has a plan.
I can imagine that she has opened a couple of bottles of pink champagne this evening and, ordered up room service. Her family is most likely with her. She probably has a couple of appointments next week and a vacation in the works! - That would necessitate a shopping spree for vacation clothes, accessories and, other essentials. Fun, fun, fun! And then of course, a hair appointment and, a medi/pedi appointment. Bikini wax? Probably not. Wait a minute! She may not have a passport. That's okay, she can get it expedited!
Where to go? A Mediterranean cruise, perhaps?
Mavis may want to stay in Mass. She could end up purchasing a house in Weston. Who knows?
Second:
Last August Mavis allegedly broke it off with her partner of 15 years. Her ex boyfriend gave an interview. He said that he had to give half of everything he had to his first wife when they got divorced and, that he didn't want to have to do that again. I believe that was what he gave as his reason for not wanting to marry Mavis. I don't think he loved her enough, otherwise he would have been able to put aside his trust issues and marry her. A year later... Mavis, you certainly have moved on to a better life! Now, don't look back!
Mavis, you don't owe anybody anything! Having said that.... If what is being reported is true, then please work things out with your kids!
Congratulations Mavis! I am happy for you. Please (if you haven't already), THANK THE LORD for all that he has blessed you with!
Are you a lawyer? Are you an acct? My dad was an accountant and he would have said she was dumb for turning in. We don't know anything about the family.
Wow! That was the 2nd Powerball Jackpot winning ticket that is a California Super Lotto Plus pick in the year 2017!
saved-another-2-bucks....incidentally...this-jar-is-over-stuffed-with-0ne-dollar-bills..
Bonjour Artist, et al-
Mi ole' professor cautioned:
"Throughout your life's journey, let this be your goal
Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole !"
~Dr Murray Banks
Bonne Chance + Bonne Nuit
Eddessa_Knight with Lucky Light
1. I didn't give my occupation or, how many university degrees I hold.
2. Everyone knows that your dad was an accountant because you seem to mention that on nearly every post!
BTW, why do you mention that? Do you think that somehow makes you an authority on the Lottery?
3. I agree, we know very little about the family.
4. Nowhere did I say that I thought that she was wise for going public.
I said that I believe that she has a plan. I am not sure going public was initially part of her plan.
I suspect that it was an impulsive move that she may later regret, if she hasn't already.
An apartment could be a condo she owns. It does not mean she is a renter.
Great response You beat me to it.
The megamillions winner came forward, another health care worker eho retired. :). Good for her!
Not to be hating on her, but when she said she is excited and "afraid". I said this woman isn't that bright. If I was afraid after I hit, the last thing I would have done is come forward less then 24 hours after hitting the biggest Powerball jackpot in history!
Now every crack pot, con artist and weirdo knows who she is. As Michael Douglas as Gordon Gecko in Wall Street said " A fool and their money are lucky to get together in the first place". Well, I hope for her sake she has some people that will look out for her.
I've never seen so much sour grapes thinly disguised as "faux concern"
You cant remain anon. in Mass:
http://www.masslottery.com/winners/faqs.html#photo
Lottery regulations state that a claimant's name, city or town, image, amount of prize, claim date and game are public record. Therefore, photographs may be taken and used to publicize winnings.
If it were me I would have waited 6 months to close to a yr and planned out with a lawyer. I just watched on youtube and she needs to go to a different location.
Anonymous vs trusts.
Numbers on all lottery games should begin at 32.
Birthday numbers have never lost, not once, ever!
Playing extreme low numbers all the time works I guess.
One thing is for sure, and two is for certain, it is not sour grapes being expressed here. Many, not all of LP members know the Lottery Winner Nightmarish facts in a long list of winners. We have seen this movie played out, space won't allow for us to discuss or list all the people would ended up in traumatic life wreckages. Massachusetts and other states will publish your name. But that does not mean you abandon making wise and protective steps to insure safety for yourself and family members. The entire world is watching, many want her to succeed, others desire that she destroy herself. I wish the best for her.
Oh, puleez! She is a woman who held a job at the same employer for over 30 years. She is not a crackhead, addicted to strippers, or chaser of boytoys. All the others who were murdered or lost all their money were extremely unstable personalities.
If she doesnt already have a trust in place, she can do it on Monday. On Tuesday, she can consult a financial planner, a real estate agent on Wed, etc. Not everybody goes into hiding or moves, e.g., Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt. The police are currently parked outside her door & she can pick up the phone and hire body guards. None of these things are difficult if you have $$$ and she has plenty of it. It does not take months and months of planning.
It comes down to a lot of people who know nothing about her thinking they know more about how to run her life than she does. That smacks of arrogance and ignorance plus sour grapes.
She was the winner.
Once again when there is a large jackpot many posts criticizing the winner can be translated to, "How come she won and not me?
a fool and her money will soon part
I was surprised that there was only one winner, seeing that all the numbers drawn were birthday #s. Not giving up on my chances, yet. I am going to abandon the Mega Millions game once they change the odds in October, greedy Mofos.
A trust takes way more than a day to work out let alone for the attorney to draft it and work through changes. Usually a couple of weeks at least. Trusts include other documents such as a pour over will, who gets what if you die, medical directives, funeral plans, power of attorney, etc. You have to retitle property and bank accounts and retirement accounts into the name of the trust. I had one done for me ...not due to a lottery win, and it took over a month. And I am an attorney who understood all the legalise.
Okay, two days.
They have computer software that does 99% of the work.
You cant either in NH but that didnt stop a lawyer from collecting on behalf of a trust last year when someone hit 400mil.
Lol No. You start with boilerplate language and then make adjustments and additions per discussions with the client. Remember trusts involve multiple documents and states cap at usually a few million as to what can go through a trust vs probate. So the pour over will for money outside of the trust is even more important. My far less complicated trust involved two meetings and one conference call . It took me about 8 hours total to think about and review the materials. Going through page after page of all these what if medical directives took hours just by itself. And I am a long ways from being old and even the trust attorney remarked that most of her clients are much older. But one can never be too young to get things into order.
And the trust that the software spits out is not sufficient for about 99.9% of potential users. Each and every individual's situation, needs, and desires are different, therefore, only a competent and experienced asset protection attorney will suffice.
I don't mean to come across as a know-it-all, but the subject is something I've studied up on since I have a lot of time on my hands, and not a lot of money.
Thank you. I agree! You want the language as specific as possible for you so as to not leave things open to interpretation.
You beat me to it, and said it better.
Correct me if I am wrong but the winner does not even have access to the money yet. It takes a couple of weeks+ for the lottery to get all the funds from each state. It was her choice to claim when she did and she can start setting up her trust, lining up her team between now and when the funds hit her account. Who would turn her down if you were contacted by her?
Altho I am jealous, envious, I wish her the best.
Oh! I saw some LP comments about an ex boyfriend. I was sure I read somewhere that she lost her husband last year to a hit and run. Anybody else read that?
That's one more reason not to claim your jackpot the very next day. Everybody wants to know who the winner is and now everyone knows all your family / personal business. If you wait a bit, it gives some time for all the hoopla to die down.
Right, I have read anywhere from 2-4 weeks but you have to give basic bank and trust and estate info when it is claimed. What if the winner dies between the time of claiming it and it going into her accounts? They need this info upfront even if it simply filling out a form and saying it should be dispersed according to my estate plan and they need to know who has her power of attorney if she dies. Maybe she has a will already but I assume she would want to update it. If no will or estate plan, the money would be split between her children or siblings, etc. per shares in the state law (dying without a will...intestate).
I read that about her ex-husband.
Very good question, and I don't have an answer. I'll just go a step further and ask this: Is it set in stone that her name is the official claimant of the money as soon as she turned the ticket in at the lottery headquarters, or can ownership be changed to a instrument such as a trust or LLC if the change comes before she takes actual possession of the funds? The reason I ask is because if she cannot, then it would seem to me that she pay taxes when she claims the money, and then wanted to put it in a trust or LLC she would have to pay taxes again because it would be transferred to a separate entity. Correct me if I am wrong.
Also, it would seem to me that claiming with a trust would be imperitive if she wanted to give some of the money to friends and family and avoid double taxation. Again, correct me if I am wrong.
Yes. She is officially it. There are some past photos of other jp winners who claimed it but the large photo op check was payable to a trust. It depends on the state law. You do not have to pay taxes twice. You could claim it under your name, get the money and set up a trust later. But your tax situation could change if some of the money goes into a charitable trust or you give a lot away. I think you would not owe as much in taxes. Remember the trust equals the claimant in states that allow it unless it is a group of winners.
Has anyone ever successfully filed a discrimination case against the lottery?
Seems like only certain demographics ever win the lottery. Mostly women.
I live in Virginia and I have never seen where anyone claimed a jackpot with a trust. I'm guessing that is the case even if a group of people are the beneficiaries. if I won 20 million dollars and paid paid the taxes on it, and then gave a million to a family member, that person would also pay taxes on that 1 million again? Even if I got a write off for giving it to him or her?
I think the person receiving it would have to pay taxes on it but if you claimed it, there is a max gift allowance for you...under $20 000. Look at the va website under legal . Only a person or persons can claim so no trusts, etc. This is why I buy my tickets in dc.
I thought I read you can gift someone 4.5million dollars in a lifetime and not pay taxes up to that point. You as the giftee have to report that you gifted the money on your tax return if you go over the 14k yearly cap so the government can track it. Then if you hit the lifetime gift cap to that person you pay taxes on it. Or you can make it that the receiver of the gift has to pays the taxes.
https://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/06/25/how-much-money-can-you-gift-tax-free.aspx
Good point, and I never noticed that, but I think you got a point. However, for the $1.564M lottery, the husband in TN, played the lottery.
Many who have never won a jackpot know all the right things to do?
Right.....
OMG!!!!!!
PUT DOWN THE CRACK PIPE!!!
This is from tje powerball website, Winner's Stories;
http://www.powerball.com/powerball/winners/2016/NH_RobinEggTrust073016.shtml
The Nega Millions site also has the same kind of info in Winners Gallery.
Each state is different. My state doesn't allow one to claim with a trust. Some do, some don't. Mine doesn't.
Wow! Way more than I thought. Very interesting.
For 2017, the lifetime estate exclusion is $5.49 million per individual, up from $5.45 million in 2016.
From what I have read about gift and gift tax...
you are allowed to give away 14k a year per person to as many as you want tax free...if married your wife or husband can also give someone 14k a year.. So say your sister can get 14k from you and 14k from your spouse tax free. There is no limit on the number of people you can give to.
There red is also a estate gift limit..or tax free limit. For 2017 it is 5.4 mil...that is the first 5.4 mil from your estate given away when you pass away will be tax free... The rest is taxed..
Now you can give away that 5.4 mil during your life but the total given away will be leveled against the estate when you pass away..
hope i I explain well. But that's my research on it.
Sorry OldHippie, I thought you meant some thing else
For a good chuckle check out hoe Delaware lets winners remain anonymous.
I would have waited also! I would probably wait 3 months. I think it was very unwise of her. I worry about her safety, as well as the safety of her two grown children. I have actually been praying for her!
I agree with you on your second point too! - I think she needs to move out of the state and, keep a very low profile from here on out. I am just not sure that she will do either. Oh well, it's her life and her choice!
Let this lottery be a lesson to all on this board. It's too bad I have to ask a couple of accountants who my dad knew. I will ask them certain questions.
" If I was afraid after I hit, the last thing I would have done is come forward less then 24 hours after hitting the biggest Powerball jackpot in history"
Especially if you live in a state like MASSACHUSETTS that ALLOWS you to claim the prize ANONYMOUSLY through a TRUST...
If she did not know this about her state the Lottery should have told her....and if they did and she still wanted to come forward and get it over with, oh well....
(I would love for my state to allow that option...)
I think that she did the right thing by claiming her winning ticket.
She's 53 years old, and it appears that she knows what she is doing by quickly claiming her new found wealth!
I'm a 60 year old man, and if I had the lone ticket instead of her, I would have quickly turned in that ticket at the lottery office in Schenectady,NY the faster than she did!
It appears that she knows what she is doing; she seems to be a responsible person raising two children, and making car payments, and most likely house mortgage payments, and other purchases of big ticket items.
"Now you can give away that 5.4 mil during your life but the total given away will be leveled against the estate when you pass away"
That's how it works. You can give away as much as you want, but there's no free lunch and there's no getting around the tax implications. If you give more than the annual limit to any one person it reduces the exemption on your estate tax, but you don't have to pay taxes on the gift until you've exhausted the $5.49 million exemption. Once you do that you can still give gifts up to the annual exemption.
Besides the financial reasons for setting up a trust (or multiple trusts) some states, including Massachusetts, release the name of the trust when the trust is the entity that claims the prize. There are other good reasons not to have claimed so quickly, but I think keeping your name from the public is a pretty good reason to take the time to get things squared away first. An even better reason may be that it's only a hair over 4 months until 2018, and the republicans keep talking about tax cuts, with the top rate being reduced to 35%. If that happens she could have effectively earned about $1 million per week until the end of the year.
As for the impending financial ruin that some people may think is in store for her, I'm figuring she should net just about $275 million. She can afford to make some incredibly expensive mistakes and still be quite rich.
THANK YOU Sir Todd, Chief Bottle Washer,
Love hearing your feedback In response to monkey wrench throwing poster's, some always have to try and put a spin on things to make others have doubts or start conspiracy theories where theirs none!
Thank You also, for the hard work you do on keeping us on LP up to date & straight...
Thank You Noise-Gate I was wondering the exact same thing, thought I must have dozed off and was on a different Post?
That one was from wwwaaayyy out of LEFT FIELD.....
YES THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
I COMPLETELY AGREE. Theirs so MANY POST'S ON HERE FROM PEOPLE I've never heard of, everyone sure came out for this one though didn't they...
I want to respond to so many of these Post I would fill up pgs of Replies, It's unbelievable how many PPL on here saying things they know nothing about!
She specifically said this has always been a "Pipe Dream" of Her's, She's only 53 but has already worked at the same place for 32yrs maybe she already had things In order for not only this BIG WIN but her Retirement also, NO BODY KNOWS WHAT SHE HAD PLANNED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?
I'm not going to act or pretend to know what Is In someone else's HEAD, THINK ABOUT IT that could be a very scary place to go and It's not your place to be!
REDD55,
I AGREE W/YOUR POST That was above this one also!!!!
Along with some of the other LP REGULARS......
Geee...my mother is a semi retired accountant, so maybe I need to ask her. Or my father is a retired civil engineer so maybe I need to consult with him about jp winners buying new homes.
Sorry ladies and gentlemen, I do not think in my heart that this is a real "winner" She is the epitome of a lame actress, chewing her gum and what not,. She does not look, genuinely happy, in the slightest, can you people not tell this, its as though she is being forced to say the phrase like "pipe dream" which equals "broke" in Gematria that is the language used by the powers that be in the country. I believe the masses are allotted small wins such as the 1 and 2 million dollar prizes, but not anything over, or the Mega Millions Maximum 5x Mega Pier of $5,000,000 and it caps at that, everything else is just BS. There is a book coming out called Letters and Numbers by Zachary K Hubbard which explains how the owners of the media, lie everyday to the public, cause its in their belief system. Also you can learn this knowledge at VidMe and search Zachary Hubbard, this is not BS, as the numbers back up everything this man does. He also has a blog, Free To Find Truth Biog, you will be blown away by this information, I promise you this just keep an open mind. This coming from someone who had 5 numbers on a line in the Multi Match here in Maryland a few years back.
Alright!!!!!!!!!!!!
We love the conspiracy theorists around here.
Keeps things interesting.
Its called knowledge. A Conspiracy "Theorist" is also contrived for the masses. I guess you believe that planes were used on September 11, 2001,. Oh well.
I think the illuminati won the big jp. If you look closely, Mavis turns into a reptile for s split second in the video. Lol
LOL................... shhhhhhh, you weren't supposed to tell !
This article should have been titled "Massachusetts woman wastes no time making horrible mistakes & potentially screwing up her life". Whoever told her she should do a press conference & show the world what she looks like should be severely slapped & sued into the ground; the first rule of winning the lottery is NEVER do publicity, it just invites trouble. She won less than a week ago, and already police have had to increase patrols around her house, due to all sorts of unwanted attention & potential issues. She'll be inundated with calls, texts, emails, mail & drop ins from charity people, purveyors of high end luxury items (cars, boats, planes, homes, etc), people looking for a hand out, scamsters, liars, thieves and potential kidnappers. That's not even mentioning the loonies, like the people who are angry at her for winning, or the mentally deranged. Doing publicity is just a recipe for disaster, and this woman bought into it hook, line & sinker...
While there are instances of lottery winners hitting it big and going public with few problems, it still seems overly risky to win so much money without taking extreme precautions.
Alternatively, one can avoid much of these issues by playing smaller. Jackpots under $100 million annuity still get some attention, but far less than in the past while those under $25 million annuity barely get a mention, especially if the winner takes the reduced cash option.
And winning 2nd place (ie. $2 million for PB with Powerplay), often the winner's name won't even be mentioned, if the winner simply waits a week or two to file the claim. Often the sales location will be disclosed right away, but the news media often won't follow-up with the winner's name. Or at most, briefly mention it in some blurb that's easily missed.
Personally, $20 million or so cash ($12 million or so after taxes) seems the right balance - it's a lot of money for a regular income person, but not too much to bring excess publicity. Sure, locals may be overly interested, but regionally and nationally, virtually no one cares. 9-figure jackpots and up is what gets big attention.
I periodically post and I agree with your comment. However, over the last couple of years, it seems as though players aren't winning small amounts. When they changed PB and soon MM will be the same, winning hundreds of millions, will be the norm.
So, I think when we look at wanting to win, we need to have that BIG amount in mind. I guess that is good in a way because you can help more people, but unfortunate media attention.
Yes, I do think planes were used on 9/11, but they were flown by CIA clones of George W. Bush under the direct orders of Dick Cheney. I also don't think we actually landed on the Moon because the American cheese industry didn't want the competition. Plus, JFK was shot by the same person who later shot J.R.
I also think Einstein was killed by the Mafia because he knew too much. I think April Lavigne is an alien, isn't that ironic? I divorced my wife b/c if you played connect-the-dot with freckles on her butt, they became a pentagram.
Oh well.
I didn't ask what they believes "normally happens"; I asked how long they and apparently you waited to claim your millions in lottery prizes?
The point I'm making unless they have actual experience in winning a prize over $25,000, their opinions are just that.
Doubling down on looking like a moron. Good for you.
You crack me up. Lol. You sound a bit like a long ago member... Ridge.
Yo CoinToss,
Although I did'nt criticize her, if I did comment on her my translation would be a little different, since I was hoping for 20 winners on this JP.
"How come me and 18 others including CoinToss, Artist77, Lejardin, MikeinTexas Sully16 et al on LP did'nt win with her ?
LOL !
My Grandfather was a cattle rancher and had a man in charge of taking a head count of the livestock.
I guess you might call him the head accountant, wish I could consult him about JP winners. LOL !
BTW Is a semi retired accountant one that now longer works with whole numbers ?
Wouldn't that be spelled head a-cow-tant?
Ya know haymaker, I was wonderin' the same thing!
Hahahahaha, good one grwurston!