I decided that since the Mega Millions lottery was at 1.6 billion and growing rapidly that I would invest $2. I’m pretty sure I’m going to win. I know taxes and getting a lump sum will cut it in about half, so I’m figuring I’ll only have a billion when all is said and done.
I know we have all dreamed about what we would do in past lotteries, but those we would bring home maybe $100 million or so. Now I’m going to have 10 times that so I need to set my dreams a bit higher.
So barring sending it all to you, or using it for good or something crazy like that, what should I do when I pick up the check?
Using the 4% rule, you can withdraw $40 million a year and the principal will still grow.
Use the $40 million to fund philanthropy or science you believe in.
If I had a billion I’d become a mini Paul Allen and fund neuroscience research. And those scientists will grovel. Don’t think you won’t grovel for my money.
Find an excellent lawyer and a financial adviser and get it locked into a family trust, tout suite. That’s what all the super rich people do. It protects your assets from frivolous lawsuits and lets you pass it on to your kids without (I believe) huge inheritance taxes. I think it helps with yearly taxes, too, but I Am Not a Financial Adviser or a Lawyer.
(And if you want to do some good, see if there’s an orphan drug fund or something like that and set up a trust for them, too. They help pay for rare drugs for people who wouldn’t be able to afford them otherwise.)
i specifically said I didn’t want to use it for good, so philanthropy and orphan drug funds are right out. And for all that want to answer Hookers and Blow… I’m in my upper 50’s so a couple grand would take care of all I can handle. We’re talking a BILLION.
I like cars so maybe a McLaren P1. I’m getting old so maybe I’ll hire a F1 driver to chauffeur me. I’d need to use him when I get a craving for Taco Bell… because my helicopter can’t land in their parking lot.
With that sort of money you can afford MAD SCIENCE. Like sending a huge inflatable into orbit with SPUD RULES and TRUMP SUCKS written on it that anyone with a telescope can read.
I believe the right answer starts with land. I’ve got a 25 acre parcel I’ve had my eye on a small chunk of but you could buy the whole thing for $3 million I’d want at least 50 million in land so I’d be looking at 500 acres or so mostly buying small residential properties and bulldozing them back to farm or ranch land. The other 50 million would go to starting my dream businesses on that land.
My wife would get another $100 million for fun money and she’s mostly interested in philanthropy but I don’t find that overly interesting for day dreams. 2 million goes to cash in the bank. 20 million goes into a money market fund. 40 million goes into rolling CD coming due every 3 months over a two year period starting 12 months from now. 150 million gets put into a mix of federal, state, muni and corporate bonds. 300 million goes into stocks but primarily a s&p 600 spider. The remainder get dropped in to highly speculative angel investments.
With this plan I get big ticket fun almost immediately and then live on a nice income for up to three years without selling stocks or bonds and the long term growth should be able to keep the cash reserves steady while if my land, businesses or angel investments pay off then the over all fortune grows. 20 million a year for life will be pleanty for vacations, homes, cars and gift giving.
Now I just need to actually go buy a ticket before the next drawing.
First of all I’d start to get bored after 312… and llamas and emus? Come on those are so mundane. I’m thinking albino orangutans, toy gorillas, and things along those lines.
Did I mention that I have (pinky to lip) a BILLION dollars to spend.
More than half the fun with having a humongous amount of money dumped on me would be giving it to places that need it.
When I hear about a local school’s music teacher mourning the fact they can’t afford decent instruments for the kids, Bing! Or a single parent struggling to finish school to become a nurse, Bing! Actually, for the nursing issue, I’d probably endow a full scholarship, and name it for my mom.
I’d set up an arrangement with a law firm so that when I wanted to make a donation, a fund I’d had set up would disburse money through the firm. I would want to be anonymous with these donations.
I’d only keep enough to live in a really nice apartment, to travel a couple times a year, and to have a fund for a decent nursing home when the time comes. The rest would be fun to play with.
And for all that want to answer Hookers and Blow… I’m in my upper 50’s so a couple grand would take care of all I can handle. We’re talking a BILLION.