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Lump sum or annuity
The advertised jackpot is the annuity total: 30 payments, each 5% larger than the last. The cash value is what the lottery pays if you take it all now. Both are taxed; here is how they compare.
Lump sum
Estimated amount after withholding, paid now
$280,235,000.00- Federal withholding is not the final tax: each person's own return settles it, and the bill can be higher or lower.
- Wisconsin tax is settled on the return too; only its withholding is taken off here.
- Lump sum: the cash value, paid at once.
- Cash value (estimate from the usual ratio)
- $410,000,000.00
- Federal withholding (24%)
- $98,400,000.00
- Wisconsin withholding (7.65%)
- $31,365,000.00
- After withholding
- $280,235,000.00
Annuity
Estimated amount after withholding, over 30 payments
$683,500,000.00- Federal withholding is not the final tax: each person's own return settles it, and the bill can be higher or lower.
- Wisconsin tax is settled on the return too; only its withholding is taken off here.
- Annuity: the total of 30 payments, with withholding taken from each as it is paid.
- Advertised jackpot (annuity total)
- $1,000,000,000.00
- Federal withholding (24%)
- $240,000,000.00
- Wisconsin withholding (7.65%)
- $76,500,000.00
- After withholding, total
- $683,500,000.00
- First payment (gross)
- $15,051,910.28
- Last payment (gross)
- $61,952,759.58
Payments grow 5% a year; the last is 4.1x the first.
30-payment schedule
| Payment | Gross |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | $15,051,910.28 |
| Year 2 | $15,804,505.79 |
| Year 3 | $16,594,731.08 |
| Year 4 | $17,424,392.37 |
| Year 5 | $18,295,596.94 |
| Year 6 | $19,210,301.53 |
| Year 7 | $20,170,763.92 |
| Year 8 | $21,179,241.91 |
| Year 9 | $22,238,143.80 |
| Year 10 | $23,350,028.41 |
| Year 11 | $24,517,454.57 |
| Year 12 | $25,743,282.14 |
| Year 13 | $27,030,370.99 |
| Year 14 | $28,381,882.02 |
| Year 15 | $29,800,976.12 |
| Year 16 | $31,290,964.72 |
| Year 17 | $32,855,460.27 |
| Year 18 | $34,498,225.76 |
| Year 19 | $36,223,024.15 |
| Year 20 | $38,034,070.00 |
| Year 21 | $39,935,728.34 |
| Year 22 | $41,932,514.76 |
| Year 23 | $44,029,095.34 |
| Year 24 | $46,230,437.22 |
| Year 25 | $48,541,959.08 |
| Year 26 | $50,968,929.09 |
| Year 27 | $53,517,368.02 |
| Year 28 | $56,193,146.11 |
| Year 29 | $59,002,735.69 |
| Year 30 | $61,952,759.58 |
Treated as a jackpot's advertised amount (the annuity total). If it is a fixed prize, choose "A fixed prize" above.
The annuity pays $403,265,000.00 more in total after withholding, spread over 30 payments; the lump sum is less money, sooner. Which suits a person depends on their situation; a licensed adviser can run the real numbers.
Estimates from published withholding rates, reviewed on 2026-10-01. Not tax advice.
- Lump sum is an estimate: 41% of the advertised amount, the recent cash-value ratio. The lottery publishes the real cash value for each drawing.
- Wisconsin pays one claimant; the agreement names who claims and how the pool splits it. One person signs a group ticket and the Wisconsin Lottery pays that claimant; paying several winners on one ticket takes a court order.
- The lottery withholds on the whole prize, as one payment: federal 24% when the prize is over $5,000.00, even when one person's share is smaller. IRS Form 5754 then splits the prize and the withholding by share; each row shows that person's part.
- Federal withholding is 24% on prizes over $5,000.00; the top federal rate of 37% applies when you file, so more may be owed.
- Prizes of $2,000.00 or more are reported to the IRS on Form W-2G even when nothing is withheld.
- Wisconsin withholds 7.65% on prizes of $2,000.00 or more.
- 30 payments, each 5% larger than the one before; tax is withheld from each payment as it is paid.
Thresholds used: Federal: 24% withheld on prizes over $5,000.00; reported to the IRS from $2,000.00. Wisconsin: 7.65% withheld on prizes of $2,000.00 or more.
Sources: irs.gov, wilottery.com, revenue.wi.gov.
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