it is interesting that it wasn't too long ago that people even started to consider getting financial advice before "running down" to their local lottery hdqtr's to collect their cardboard check. most past winners did just that ( i want my money NOW). a few lottery states are actually advising winners to get advice before collecting. they didn't use to do that before.
people that didn't seek advice before collecting were ignorant of the implications of an annuity estate tax. it seems that until the last couple of years when some lottery "heirs" started screaming about losing their "inherited lottery winnings" to TAXES, that some public awareness exhibited some change.
before the lottery could care less if you threw your cardboard check in the trash after they handed it to you. they had no interest in what happen to you financially. now some of the lotteries have gotten smart. some advise the new winners to get advice not because they care about you so much, it is just another marketing tool that the use to keep the lottery looking favorable in the public eye. (my opinion)
the publicity of the bigger jackpots have helped to educate people as well. alot of the bigger jackpot winners in recent years have stated that they have gotten advice before collecting. but it wasn't always that way. "we won honey. let's go down tomorrow and get our check". i know i probably would have gotten the annuity if i had won like 5 years ago. i learned the difference between the two about five years ago. prior to that it was "give me my money"! now it's: "hey mr bottom feeder lawyer friend of mine for now until i can do this myself, go get MY money for me. and get it all in CASH".
................................visiondude