Mega Millions jackpot hits $1.05 billion. Here’s the possible tax bill

The Mega Thousands and thousands jackpot has soared to greater than $1 billion for the fifth time within the sport’s historical past.

At present, the 30-year annuitized payout is price $1.05 billion, Mega Thousands and thousands’ fourth-largest prize to this point. Winners may additionally select the favored lump-sum possibility for a $527.9 million payout.

Nonetheless, each choices are pretax estimates and the winner pays a large chunk to the taxman earlier than seeing a greenback of the proceeds.

Tuesday’s drawing is at 11 p.m. ET.

Whether or not you select the lump sum or annuitized 30-year payout, it is necessary to hunt professional steerage, mentioned Tommy Lucas, a licensed monetary planner and enrolled agent at Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo in Orlando, Florida.

“Name your property planning lawyer earlier than you do something,” he mentioned.

Lucas recommends the winner rent a workforce of specialists, together with a monetary advisor, tax skilled, property planning lawyer, financial institution specialists and extra, to navigate a spread of monetary selections.

The prospect of hitting the Mega Thousands and thousands jackpot is roughly 1 in 302 million.

Earlier than seeing a penny of the billion-dollar jackpot, the Mega Thousands and thousands winner pays a large chunk in taxes. There is a obligatory 24% federal withholding for winnings above $5,000 that goes straight to the IRS.

When you select the $527.9 million lump sum, the 24% federal withholding shrinks the prize by almost $127 million.

Nonetheless, that is not the full tax invoice, as a result of the highest tax bracket is at the moment 37%, in accordance with Lucas, who encourages the winner to put aside 40% “simply to be conservative.”

The Mega Thousands and thousands jackpot simply pushes the winner into the highest federal earnings tax bracket, which is at the moment 37%. However they will not pay 37% on your complete windfall as a result of “it should move by the brackets,” Lucas mentioned.

For 2023, the 37% fee applies to taxable earnings of $578,126 or extra for single filers and $693,751 or larger for {couples} submitting collectively. You calculate taxable earnings by subtracting the larger of the usual or itemized deductions out of your adjusted gross earnings.

Single lottery winners pays $174,238.25, plus 37% of the quantity over $578,125. However for {couples} submitting collectively, the full owed is $186,601.50, plus 37% of the quantity above $693,750.

The 24% federal withholding might cowl a considerable amount of taxes, however the closing invoice will probably characterize thousands and thousands extra, relying on a number of components.

You may additionally be on the hook for state taxes, relying on the place you reside and the place you obtain the ticket. Some states do not tax lottery winnings or do not have earnings taxes, however others might levy above 10% within the prime bracket.

Tuesday’s Mega Thousands and thousands drawing comes lower than two weeks after a single ticket offered in California received Powerball’s $1.08 billion jackpot. That sport’s prime prize is again right down to $74 million, with roughly 1 in 292 million odds of profitable the jackpot.