After explaining to my husband why I fainted dead away, I’d call my brother, since he’s the family financial whiz. I’d also find a good lawyer. We’d help out family and our favorite charities, set up some scholarships, invest or whatever so that we’d always have an income, then buy some new toys, including a new boat. I expect we’d probably buy ourselves a little waterfront estate, too, so we’d have a place to park the boat. I’m retired, so quitting isn’t an issue for me, but I bet my spousal unit would give his notice pretty quick.
My MIL was seriously worried back when Florida started its lottery - she feared if she ever hit the big jackpot, someone would kidnap our daughter and hold her for ransom to get the winnings. I’m not kidding - that really concerned her!! Fortunately, she never hit for more than $75, so my baby was safe…
I would quit my job explaining that I feel it would be immoral to keep a job I don’t need when so many other people do need the job. Let them figure out the details. Anyone who thinks they should give notice thinks too much of themselves.
I would tell only my wife, because we are equal partners and that is part of the deal. If she wanted to go places and do things I don’t wish to do, I would tell her to have fun. If she wanted to build a mansion I would tell her to do so, but I would be staying in this 1935 Craftsman house where I have lived, more or less, since I was 5, where my father died and where I intend to.
I would spend more time and money on my outdoor hobbies; hunting, fishing, etc. I would not leave the area I live in because it is ideal for my needs. In only a few hours I can be skiing in the mountains, walking or clam digging on the beach, roaming the high desert, sailing on the Columbia, touring wine country, there are few things I am interested in that I cannot find right where I am.
Instead of having one ‘dream car’ garage I am going to need to build a bigger complex.
And I would take the annuity option. With a $100 million jackpot you loose half up front if you take the cash option, then you are heavily taxed on your $50 million lump sum, you might end up with $35 million and it is all at risk depending upon who your money manager is and what decisions you make.
The annuity will pay about $3.3 million each year for 25 years and if you take it this way you can recover about $80 million over time with little worry. Yea, I understand that you are all crack money managers who will turn your initial $35 million into an empire. But I do not wish to pay that much attention to the money.
It would be fun to have the money, but I have everything I want right now, a little more money would mean I have a little more of it all.
I live in a state where you can claim anonymously. So–
Tell no one. Not even my wife if I can figure out a way to make sure she’s taken care of in the event of my demise. I don’t quit my job right away, instead I start making some extra money on the side–possibly an “investment” that I’ve never talked about suddenly starts to pay off. Or maybe I rent an office and pretend to be starting some obscure consulting business that isn’t open to the general public. I don’t think it’s a illegal to put up a phony front if you’re not covering up a crime.
I’d tell my husband. I’d seek out a reputable financial adviser. I’d tell my adult sons but I might not tell them exactly how much I’d won.
I have no other family and I wouldn’t tell the in-laws because they’re a pack of leeches at the best of times. I’d set up a trust to allow regular donations to charitable organisations.
I wouldn’t resign but I’d take the annual leave I’m owed and I’d travel. And I’d hire a cleaner and a cook.
I would probably work with a lawyer to set up a trust to accept the winnings, and would go for lump sum. It would get split up into several parts. A certain amount would go to several people to make their lives easier. A certain part would go to certain charitys. The rest would get divided into thirds - more or less “Yours, Mine and Ours” where the ours would pay to buy and set up the farm we want complete with the starter set of livestock and poultry. The land we want is reasonable so we could theoretically afford to get it if we ‘sold our current farm’ to get it - we would be giving our current microfarm to some friend of ours who are looking to move out into the country side so it would be a good fit. The smaller amounts that would belong to mrAru and myself would be used for anything we wanted to get like birthday and christmas presents, stuff like that. A certain amount would be popped into some non-US banking institution. We might buy a flat in Europe for vacations and rent it out when we are not there.
My best friend’s SIL won a quarter million in Ontario’s lottery. They asked her if she wanted her name kept secret and she asked for that. Fifteen minutes later the charitable requests started rolling in. Obviously, someone was selling her name. Maybe it’s better to be public.
Now what would I do. Set up trusts for my kids, help my eldest buy a nice apartment in Brooklyn and pay off my youngest’s mortgage (the one in the middle is a Microsoft millionaire). My car is less than five years old and I am perfectly happy with it. Maybe when I am NY I would go to one of these $500 a plate restaurants. Once, just to see what it is like. All my traveling would be first class, henceforth. I like my house. I might put in strong doors and an alarm system. $100 million is a lot of money.
I am reminded of the Russian mathematician who has qualified for a million dollar Clay prize that he has refused to claim. A million dollars is enough to make him a target for kidnapping and not enough to buy the security he would need. But $100 million is different.
You are wrong, sport. You don’t know my work situation, much less everyone’s. If I left without notice there would be plenty of pissed off people.
A rookie mistake. Taking the lump sum - even at a fifty percent cut - is often more beneficial. For starters, all of your winnings are paid in 2011 dollars vs. 2037, 2036, 2035, etc. dollars.
mmm
What I’d LIKE to do is give money to all of my family and friends without them knowing it was from me. I’d have to brainstorm how I’d really want to do it, and of course include myself amongst the ‘benefactees’ or whatever, to throw off the scent. I’d likely make it happen over the course of a year or two; can make like I just won a small lottery, enough to travel and visit and not work for a bit. Then make sure everyone gets their own mysterious windfall; chalk it up to the family leprechaun or something. I could have a lot of fun for a long time doing that. And yes, I’ve always wanted to BE Santa, lol. I would have a grand time doing it all. Lord knows no one in my family has ever had a spare dollar, though that’s not so much misfortune as poor choices and chance. And we’re all fine; but my folks, especially…yeah. They deserve to spend their last 20 years or so doing whatever they have the energy left to do. But, along with the limited resources comes the kind of pride that wouldn’t allow them to take anything from me, or any other of their children… Luckily each and every one of their children is a creative, sneaky bastard.
I just happen to be the eldest. And the best at it.
The IRS and my sister (the one I like). Nobody else.
I would keep my very small condo, and pack it with the best in electronics and art work.
I would travel by private charter jet, so I would never have to deal with the mobs and security in commercial airline terminals again. I would buy a new car, but a very modest one, and replace it every couple of years.
I would rather not have the money than have it be widely known I had that kind of money. I would do something very safe (like savings bonds or something) to tuck away enough to be sure I won’t be hurt by poverty in old age, and pretty much give the rest away.
I’m a very private guy, and probably a bit paranoid, and I just can’t imagine trusting someone who knew my financial situation and tried to get into some kind of relationship with me.
I’d give notice. My coworkers would do fine without me, but they’re nice people and I’d like to give them a chance to find somebody else. They’d also get a free car from me when I go.
Meanwhile I visit my friends and family. I pay off their mortgages, or their car payments, or whatever is a struggle for them. When this is all done I still have tens of millions of dollars to my name. 90% of that goes to the charities of my choosing. The rest lets me live relaxed and comfortable for the rest of my life, with a decent cushion should problems arise. I’m poor as hell and mostly happy, it wouldn’t take too much to make me feel well-off and very happy.
I’d tell my immediate family, shell out a little bit of cash, then put together a committee to open up a school. I’d keep my current part time teaching job.
The end.
I’m retired, so quitting isn’t an issue for me, but I bet my spousal unit would give his notice pretty quick.
I could have a lot of fun for a long time doing that. 
And yes, I’ve always wanted to BE Santa, lol. I would have a grand time doing it all. Lord knows no one in my family has ever had a spare dollar, though that’s not so much misfortune as poor choices and chance. And we’re all fine; but my folks, especially…yeah. They deserve to spend their last 20 years or so doing whatever they have the energy left to do. But, along with the limited resources comes the kind of pride that wouldn’t allow them to take anything from me, or any other of their children… Luckily each and every one of their children is a creative, sneaky bastard. 