Should I take my lottery winnings in a lump sum or annually?

There is no simple answer. But congratulations!  Let's see if you can avoid the fate of most lottery winners who go bankrupt in 5 years . . . or less. Here is the missing information I would need to give a reasonable answer:

1. What is your age?
2. Are you single or married? Children? Are you happy with your current lifestyle and is taking care of your family after your death more important than living it up now?
3. In which state do you live? It's essential to know your total tax hit.
4. What is your life expectancy? Here's a good calculator for that purpose:  https://livingto100.com/calculator  This is a difficult but important number because if you're 75 and the calculator says your life expectancy is 74, have a big party!  If you're 35 and expect to live to 95, hire a financial planner.
5. What are your debt details, i.e. amounts, terms & interest rates? Paying off debt is an investment that cannot be taken away from you (unless you carelessly acquire more!).

Depending on all of the above, there are various tax-advantaged options you could consider. This is not a -do-it-yourself issue!  You need an impartial, experienced 3rd party to see through the euphoria, to soberly reflect back to you your current financial situation, and realistically project what's possible- and not possible -with this windfall.

First, congratulations on your good fortune. This is truly a life changing event and it is great that you are taking some time to ask the right questions. As the previous advisors have responded, the correct answer really depends upon your situation and your goals.

Second, in order to know what course of action is right for you, you need to answer some basic questions that will steer you toward a solution. These are a couple to get you started.

1) If you take a lump sum, are you likely to spend it? If you think you will be tempted to spend the proceeds and live large until they are gone, taking the annuity stream may be a good option for you, regardless of the tax situation. A lot of research shows that lottery winners who quickly spend their windfall actually end up much worse off psychologically than if they had never won the money at all. Creating a system to combat your money weaknesses is a good way to protect yourself from bad decision making.

2) Do you need the cash now or can you afford to save it and let it help solidify your future? If you have current cash needs that require a larger sum than the annuity payment, taking the lump sum may be a smart approach. While the cost in taxes is high, if you can retire high cost debt or avoid taking on new high cost debt, it may be worth it. Saving a large percentage of the lump sum in a diversified portfolio is a great way to bolster your current retirement savings. Both of these activities can significantly improve your current financial situation, and through good planning you may be able to generate a significant stream of income from the assets to partially offset not having the annuity.

3) What do you plan to do with the money? Determining the ultimate purpose for the funds is really the goal here and will help you figure out what to do. Do you need a cash flow stream to pay current expenses and retire high cost debt? Are you thinking of buying a house and need a down payment? Do you have charitable ambitions?

I realize this is a short list, but you need to think a lot about what your needs are, how you handle money, and what your tax situation is. Start by answering these questions and then reach out to a local fee-only financial advisor, CPA, or other trusted advisor to help you run the numbers and help finalize a plan. Take your time to make the right decision for you and don't be pressured by an advisor or anyone else to do something you are not comfortable with. If you choose to work with a financial advisor, I would suggest that you meet with three independent fee-only advisors in your area and try to find someone who is a good fit for you. If anyone tries to pressure you into buying a particular product (annuity, insurance, etc.) in the initial meeting, run away fast.

If you take the lump sum, the following scenario might be worth a look:

$500,000 invested for 20 years at an assumed 8% would produce $50,926 per year. That is definitely an increase from the $37K, however be aware of the two variables (1) rate of return and (2)DISCIPLINE to not take any money earlier.

Taking the $37K per year would guarantee everything. You are sacrificing $13K per year for the guarantee.

So I think you need to make a call on if you are disciplined and smart about investment management, or if the guarantees make more sense for you.

Congrats! Obviously there are many other factors to consider for your situation, but I just wanted to focus on the math to help you conceptualize the two options. We want to identify the breakeven point to determine if the lump sum or annuity is actually a greater value to you. In theory, you need to decide whether a risk-free rate of return (or almost risk-free rate) can be earned that is greater than what is implied in the annuity payout.  This can be accomplished by using a time value of money (TVM) calculator.  Here is the breakdown:

N = 20 years

PV = -500,000

PMT = 37,000

FV = 0

I/YR = 4.06

To summarize, in order to choose the lump sum payout, you will need to earn a return greater than 4.06% tax free and without risk. The above calculation is intended to illustrate the concept of TVM.  Hope this helps.