Would you WANT to win $1.6B dollars?

[notsopicky]

Now of course you wouldn't get it all (taxes, lump sum deductions, etc.), but something that flex posted in the previous lottery thread--"Doesn't winning a ton of money usually ruins peoples' lives?" made me wonder if I'd actually want to win THAT MUCH money. 

Sure it means that you're set for life (and about 50 lifetimes after that, probably) and you can throw money at charities and such (using the $ for good), but I've got to imagine that it would be just so strange, suddenly thrown into that world, instantly famous, with random people cozying (sp?) up to you asking for money, relationships w/ friends, families would change, would you continue to work? Or create your own work? Or move to Tahiti and sip fruity frozen cocktails for the rest of your life? 

So many questions. 

[mcsangel2]

No. I think that's a realm that truly would make it impossible to maintain the normal relationships you have with friends and family.

That said, I'm still playing and I'll just hope we'll be one of several winners. :-)

HELL NO I wouldn't keep working.

[TR]

FUCK. YES.

[winecat]

Abso-fucking-lutely.

[anonymous]

Yes

[jinkies]

Would there be aspects that would be hard? Yes.

Would I still want to win? Fuck yeah.

[wildrice]

I like to think it wouldn't change things in a bad way. I don't know fancy people now so I sort of doubt I'd suddenly want to run in fancy social circles. Who knows what family and friends would want from me, but I have generally avoided cultivating relationships with assholes so I would be kind of surprised if a lot of people turned crazy once I got rich. If they did I would have no problem cutting them out. With that kind of money anway, I would probably have no issue paying off mortgages and sending their kids to college anyway. Even if I did that for my entire network I would have money leftover, so why not?

I would not work, though I'd love to get involved in philanthropy. Mostly I'd both travel and try to make the world better.

I didnt even buy a ticket though so... Maybe I should get one

[Leeham Rimes]

Yes. Sure rich people have problems, but I have problems and I’m not rich.

[sarahsays]

Yes, but I live in a state that would allow me to claim the money anonymously so theoretically my friends and family wouldn't know.

[Deleted]

Absolutely.

And if I did win the first thing I would do is hire a family lawyer. Someone who would protect my interest and help me navigate all of the other professionals I would need to hire to protect my finances. Plus, I live in a state where I could not collect anonymously so if I hire a lawyer they can be the bad guy to all the ransoms that would try to get their hands on my money.

And fuck to the no would I keep working.

[cville]

I have a plan for a series of shell corporations, etc to retain anonymity.

My husband and I are both conservative with money so I can't imagine we would blow it in a nanosecond. Plus, I know people who are super high net worth financial and estate planners. So I have people I trust who are experts with whom I could consult.

So, yes, I'd take the $1.6B. I'd find a way to bear that burden.

[formerlyak]

Yes. I’d want to win. We’d invest a good part of it in properties on our area and rent them for normal rents instead of the crazy ones things are renting for now. When I was a single mom, the family I rented my house from rented it to me at just enough to cover their expenses and a little extra instead of the higher market rent they could have charged. They said they wanted a family in the house.

I’d also go back to school for my PhD. I’ve always wanted to but money has stopped me.

DH would want to buy a vacation log cabin in Colorado somewhere I’m sure.

We’d clearly fully find our boys’ college.

And we’d travel tons.

[CheeringCharm]

lol, I am willing to take that chance. I volunteer as tribute 

[lilac05]

Only if I could remain anonymous.

I’d keep working, but I only work part time doing a job that I love and believe has great purpose. I’d give my paycheck back.

[pantsparty]

Yes.

[W.T.Faulkner]

I’d want to remain anonymous, but yes. I would not change any aspect of our lives. I’d just be donating a fuck ton to charities, schools, and elections we care about, and making sure my ILs want for nothing ever again.

[Deleted]

Yes.

[yentl]

It's not exactly the lottery but the sudden and extreme lifestyle change that messes with people. The most stressful events we go through are major life changes like moves, changing jobs, deaths, etc. In general these transitions are difficult for people. Lottery winners are likely to upend their lives in ways that seem like improvements but that still cause stress.

I would minimize those changes and spread them out over time. I would claim the winnings anonymously and if anyone started asking questions about the things I started doing differently I would claim an inheritance or something. I would keep working because I really enjoy my job but I wouldn't work as often and/or I would take on more pro bono clients as time went on. I would donate a TON of money. Animal shelters and libraries would be at the top of the list and then some specific political causes next.

I never buy lottery tickets so I don't know why I've given this idea this much thought.

[mala]

Yep. I'd keep a few mil to live off the interest, set up some in a trust for the kids and their kids, use the rest to start a nonprofit, either donating to other nonprofits or building and running a community space here in town. Or both. I dont want to move, but I'd do some major renovations on our house. Pay off H's new car. Pay off my brother and sister in laws student loans. I'd try to keep that we won as quiet as possible.

[sangria]

Yes times infinity.

And, I don't even care if everyone knows that I won.

The removal of any/all financial stress for my family and loved ones FOREVER is worth the risk.

[momof2]

Yes!!! I would claim it anonymously and set aside a few funds (i) for us to live on, (ii) for my daughter with disabilities to be taken care of until her death, (iii) money for my husband to invest in companies and (iv) a big nonprofit that I would run along with my husband and experts we hire. The nonprofit would focus on providing group homes and respite care for people with disabilities as well as research into specific areas of interest based on my kid's medical conditions. I might also focus some monies on low income housing, but it would depend on how much I really had. The other items are higher priority for me.

Our lives would be infinitely easier if we could hire a third shift to help our daughter at night so we could get some sleep. If we could travel by charter, it would open up new opportunities for my kid that cannot really travel commercially (I have qualms about the environmental aspects of this, but I would likely decide that traveling as a family was more important). And, I think my husband and I absolutely have the skills to run a major charitable org assuming we can hire experts as well. WE are lucky enough to already live in a world where we know where/how to find those experts due to our current jobs. We would not quit working, because my job would be the charitable foundation and my husband would do that plus spend time investing in startups he believes in (he already does this on a super small scale). But, we would be able to do this work from all over the globe since we love to travel.

I have thought this through a lot even though I never buy tickets. :-)

[meganew]

Uh, yes. Yes please.

[ECB]

Yes! And we too live in a state where you can claim anonomously. We would set up our plan first - hire a lawyer, etc - then quietly claim the money and quietly make changes in our lives that we wanted to make.

[cville]

Oh, and while I'd do good things with the money, I would also absolutely buy some totally insane stuff. Like an apartment in Florence and another in NYC and probably a totally ridiculous car that I don't even know exists. And a shitton of shoes. And a diamond infinity band.

Let's be real.

[mskitkat]

Let’s see. Do I want to work at a job that’s ultimately means nothing until I can’t work anymore, or do I want to travel the world, spend time with my daughter, volunteer, support my friends, and never have to worry about money again? Let me think here....

[goldengirlz]

I mean, I live in the land where people become multimillionaires just because they created an app like “Yo,” the whole point of which is to literally tell your bros “yo,” or a bitcoin-for-porn, Titcoin.

I think we’d adjust to our newfound wealth just fine.

[iamgrace]

Um, yes.

Lol. Of course it would be hard in some regards, but I think I would be willing to take that risk.

[lostrn]

I would absolutely want to trade in the stress I have now (job that makes me cry adding the most) for different stressors. To be able to pay off my debt, walk away from my job and just do something I truly enjoy, plus take care of my family would be amazing. I don't need fancy stuff in my life, frankly I like my house and neighborhood and I love DS's school and principal. But it would be amazing to drive a car that's new and I don't have to worry about what's going to break next. I'd love to be able to fix things around the house that we've been putting off because it isn't necessary so we don't want to spend the money on it quite yet, like the kitchen cabinet that's currently unusable due to previous water damage. It would be amazing to not have to run the dryer twice when we are drying jeans. I'd love to get my hair done professionally on a regular basis without feeling guilty. That kind of money would bring a lot of freedom.

[maybeimamazed]

Um yes. No hesitation from me! I'm getting divorced, have 3 kids on a single income, one child in treatment for cancer-- I can't imagine a scenario where that money woukd ruin my life. I could donate so much to groups that fund childhood cancer research, could support families I know in treatment right now...sigh.

[killercupcake]

Oct 20, 2018 10:36:34 GMT -5 cville said:

Oh, and while I'd do good things with the money, I would also absolutely buy some totally insane stuff. Like an apartment in Florence and another in NYC and probably a totally ridiculous car that I don't even know exists. And a shitton of shoes. And a diamond infinity band.

Let's be real.

We have a plan for a house in NYC. My parents would likely get an apartment there, too.

We’d set up a trust under a different name to stay anonymous since CA requires disclosure.

But hell yes I’d want to win.