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When I Have a Million Dollars

The question on everyone’s tongue: what would you do with $697.5 million dollars? That’s the estimated take away after taxes if you win the Powerball Jackpot tonight. Six-hundred-and-ninety-seven MILLION dollars! Let’s say I live for another 60 years, that’s roughly 12 million each year or 1 million per month that I have to spend. This doesn’t include investments or interest or an amazing accountant who will earn me even more money. I love playing the “what if I win the lottery” game. :)

I’ve been speaking to my lawyer…okay, well, I haven’t paid him anything, so I guess I’ve been speaking to my friend who is a lawyer by profession, and who has been kind enough to humor me for the last 7 days while we play the what if I win game. “When I win the Powerball tonight…”, he will set up a trust for me and in 30 days claim my winnings under said trust. Then it’s time to sit down and plan. He’ll help me set up a charitable organization and walk me through giving money and gifts to family and friends. There’s some silly lifetime limit of only being allowed to give 5 million in gifts to people before my winnings would be taxed AGAIN. I can give $13,999 as many times as I want…so hopefully, people don’t have expensive needs. Although, medical and school payments don’t count towards the 5 mil so that’s something, and I can give unlimited amounts to charity. Oh, the options.

My first order of business: hire a personal chef. I’ve debated about doing this in my daily life right now, so with a few extra coins in my pocket, why not?

Second order of business: plan a trip with all my favorite people where I pay for everything. I hope to keep my winning status a secret, so I’d have to come up with a, “I won a free trip for 15 of my closest friends! Wahoo, let’s escape our daily life for a bit on a private yacht” theme, but I'm thinking we could make it work.

Third order of business: I’d have to find a way to make more money. Buy land? Property? Invest in the latest social media app? I could buy a bunch of land and build my only dreamed about family resort, hire all my cousins, and create magic for other families. Would we be sick of each other? Hard to say (but I think not!).

I’d most likely give a bunch of money to my parents, a thank you for all they’ve done, maybe buy them the perfect lake house and enough money that allows my dad to retire in 2016 rather than whenever “three more years” arrives.

My first thought was to give a set amount of money to all family, but who’s to say they’d spend it responsibly? I think I’ll use my lawyer and buy things for the extended family: houses for people to live in, cars for people to drive, a kidney to survive. Of course, even then, there's a infinite number of people that need help. How to choose?

What would you do with $1.5 billion dollars paid out over 30 years? Multiple coworkers refuse to even buy a ticket, that it’s a “waste” of their money. With an estimated jackpot of 1.5 BILLION dollars, what’s a $2 ticket? Just the opportunity, the chance, the possibility to win the money, heck yes, I’m buying a ticket (or 2 or 3). My odds are not increased all that much, but hey, I feel excitement and it’s provided fun conversation over the last few days. So, go ahead, buy that Powerball lottery ticket. You have a zero percent chance of winning if you do not buy a ticket.

Good luck! I hope I win MILLIONS tonight! ;)


But if I don’t win the Jackpot...nah, I'm going to win the jackpot. Gotta believe! See you in the winner's circle! :)

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