How it works
The lottery lump-sum-versus-annuity question is a discounted-cash-flow problem wearing a confetti costume, and this calculator strips both costumes honestly. Start with the artifact: an advertised $20M jackpot is not money — it is the nominal sum of thirty graduated payments growing about 5% yearly, so year one pays roughly $301,000 while year thirty pays nearly $1.24M. The cash option is the actual pool behind those promises, historically 45–62% of the headline; at 55% here that is $11M before tax and about $6.93M after a flat 37%. The annuity's honest comparison figure is its present value: each after-tax payment discounted back at the return you could realistically earn investing instead — just under $5M at 6% on these defaults, making the lump decisively better unless your investing discipline is questionable. The break-even output is the most instructive number: roughly 3.6% after-tax is all you must earn to beat this annuity, which is why virtually every financial analysis favors cash for disciplined winners. Taxes complicate everything further — withholding covers only federal estimates, state treatment varies wildly, and brackets on nine-figure jackpots exceed simple rates. The payment schedule shows every installment so the 'thirty years of security' argument can be weighed against its real opportunity cost rather than its emotional one.
Formula
First payment = J·g ÷ ((1+g)^n − 1) | PV = p₁(1−tax)·[1 − ((1+g)/(1+r))^n] ÷ (r−g), adjusted for payments starting immediately | Break-even r solves PV(r) = lump after tax
Tips
- Compare present values, never nominal totals — thirty years of inflation is not a prize.
- The break-even return tells you exactly what skill the annuity assumes you lack.
- Hire a fee-only advisor and tax attorney before claiming; decisions lock in fast.
- State taxes swing results by millions — model your actual state before choosing.
- Anonymity rules vary by state; plan the claim quietly before the win goes public.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it better to take lottery lump sum or annuity?
- Financially, the lump sum wins for disciplined investors whenever achievable returns exceed the break-even rate — here just ~3.6% after tax, with the cash option netting $6.93M against a ~$5M annuity present value. The annuity suits winners who doubt their own restraint more than markets.
- Why is the lottery cash value less than the jackpot?
- The advertised number is the nominal sum of decades of graduated payments, not money on hand. The cash pool is what those promises are actually worth invested at conservative bond-like returns today — historically 45–62% of the headline. At 55%, a $20M jackpot's real pool is about $11M.
- How are lottery winnings taxed?
- Federal withholding takes 24% immediately but the top 37% bracket applies at filing; state taxes range from zero (Texas, Florida) to over 10% (New York, California taxes but does not withhold). Lump sums pay once upfront; annuity payments face each year's rates — usually top-bracket for decades.
- What happens to lottery annuity payments if the winner dies?
- Payments continue to the winner's estate or heirs — they do not vanish. The estate may owe estate tax on the full remaining present value even though heirs receive installments over decades, which has forced some families to sell streams at discounts. Another practical argument favoring the lump.
- Can I sell my lottery annuity payments later?
- Yes, through structured-settlement buyers, typically at steep discounts — often 30–50 cents per future dollar — plus fees and court approval in most states. That haircut is precisely why taking the lump originally beats selling the annuity afterward: the market prices those same payments far below their face.