Locked: Millionaire Life lotto... cash for life or lump sum?

Lump sum. I'd take the $17m now. Who knows what your situation will be 25 years from now. I'd live well below my means. Buy a nice car and nice house, but still keep relatively low key. I'd hire someone to guide me in investing most of the money. Put some of it into a low risk but relatively high interest account, and then put a bit into higher risk/high gain stuff.

I prefer taking the lump sum payment up front.

There is an important factor to consider when making the decision. Both the $17 million up front payment and the $1 million per year payments are completely tax free. But, if you take the $17 million with the intention of investing, then the investment gains are taxable. The tax rate is dependent upon the type of investment.

Lump sum, cause god knows what can happen to you, lets suppose you die early I'm pretty sure you stop getting the 1 million.

Besides with 17 million upfront you can invest in GICs or high interest accounts.

Geese_Howard wrote: ↑

Feb 5th, 2008 6:46 pm

Lump sum, cause god knows what can happen to you, lets suppose you die early I'm pretty sure you stop getting the 1 million.

If you die within the 25 year payment period, your estate gets the remaining payments.

I agree with a a few people here. I would take the lump sum and spread a bit of it here and there. Share some with the family, get married, travel, build a nice home, buy a few cars, try and invest some for future use. Do you guys think it's greedy to want to take the lump sum? or are we playing it? are we only taking it out of fear of tomorrow? anything could really happen these days. God forbids i kick the can the day after i collect my first million. LOL it would be nice to be selfish and just splurge on a few things while you still can!

Mario38 wrote: ↑

Feb 5th, 2008 6:54 pm

If you die within the 25 year payment period, your estate gets the remaining payments.

estate? care to explain it in a few words?

Taking 17mil now and investing it at 8% gives you 116mil in 25 years. Taking 1mil each year and investing it at 8% gives you 74mil in 25 years. If you figure the gains are taxable at 40% (mostly taxed as interest, some as capital gains and dividends) and you realized those gains in year 25, then you'd be taxed 40mil and 20mil respectively. The lump sum is worth 76mil, the yearly payments are worth 54mil after taxes.

It would seem that it's better to take the lump sum now.


Put another way, you could invest 17mil at 8% and make 1.36 mil each year. If that income is taxable at 40%, then you make almost a million ($816 000) each year for life after taxes.

Lump Sum, take the 17 million, buy whatever you want, lets say 5 million like someone else said, and lock the rest in a high interest savings account, you can get easily 10% with you gave them $12 million

Mario38 wrote: ↑

Feb 5th, 2008 6:54 pm

If you die within the 25 year payment period, your estate gets the remaining payments.

ah thanks for clearing that up, either way, I take the 17 million up front

Confucious say:
17 in hand worth more than 25 in bush

Whats the difference in playing this and a big jackpot 649 or super 7

J_u_n_i_o_r_3 wrote: ↑

Feb 5th, 2008 7:10 pm

Whats the difference in playing this and a big jackpot 649 or super 7

this is computer generated numbers, no picking your own #'s and there will be only 1 winner, super 7 and 649 dont have winners every week.