Will Latest Group Lottery Winner Be Affected by Taxes?

shutterstock_265830683

 

There is nothing quite like winning the lottery. In almost all cases lotto winners go from rags to riches overnight. There is definitely a thrill and exhilaration that comes with becoming an instant multi-millionaire. Who wouldn’t want to win the lottery? Hold that thought. Winning the lottery comes with several possible catches that could lead to tax trouble. In fact, for some lottery winners, the tax fallout is a real nightmare.

The tax headache can be especially big when several people decide to purchase lottery tickets together, as a group, which is exactly what happened to some recent lottery winners in Tennessee. Twenty co-workers won a $420.9 million Powerball jackpot in November, with the lump sum payment being $254 million. Split evenly, each winner will receive $12.7 million before taxes.

However, the first question that must be answered is could this group be considered a real partnership? The 20 winners have been pooling their money together for eight years, so it’s a legitimate question. It’s also an important one as it could make a big difference in how they report it and their overall tax bill.

Another question is could their agreement be viewed as a trust? If the IRS considers it a grantor trust it’s simply taxed as a flow-through. However, if it is a more complex trust that is taxed the same as a corporation the tax headache can be huge and expensive. So, what should you do if you become an instant millionaire? If you ever end up choosing the right numbers, the smartest thing to do is talk with a qualified tax professional before you even collect the money. This will help you avoid several possible headaches.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2016/12/01/20-plant-workers-420-million-powerball-win-cleverly-misses-tax-mess/#3a6f0e555f29

Posted in
12 Traits of Highly Successful Entrepreneurs

12 Traits of Highly Successful Entrepreneurs

What are the traits of successful entrepreneurs that set them apart from everyone else? What trait do entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Lawrence Ellison, and Richard Branson have that the ordinary entrepreneurs don’t? All these questions are going to be answered in this article. After understudying the lives of successful entrepreneurs, I have been…

9 CHARACTERISTICS THAT MILLIONAIRE BUSINESS PEOPLE HAVE IN COMMON

9 Characteristics That Millionaire Business people Have in Common

9 Characteristics That Millionaire Business people Have in Common In May 2005, Forbes magazine reported that there were 691 billionaires in the world. 1400 people across the world turn into millionaires every day. Want to become one of them? Of course, you do. Everyone wants the freedom to do business in the way they choose.…

Effectively Managing Your Goals

Effectively Managing Your Goals

Effectively Managing Your Goals In effectively managing your goals, you need to know where you are going, start with the end in mind. In order to do this, it is important to establish an effective process to carry out your goals. Some goals may take only days to accomplish while others may take years. In…

What do both Goal Failure and Goal Success have in Common?

What do both Goal Failure and Goal Success have in Common? The other day I was asking my 12-year-old son how basketball practice went (he is playing goal success goal failure with a new year-round competitive team), and how he feels he is doing. He said, “Good.” That’s the typical answer I get from him,…