Lump sum, or annual payments? What would you spend it on? invest any? spare no details!
210480
Lump Sum as you have no idea what the tax laws could change to in the future........  First thing i would do is to set up a 1 million dollar trrust to send ANY child related to me now or in the future to go to collegte only restriction is that they would have to finish thier degree, then they would be debt free failure to do so would require them to pay it back.  second thing give 1.5 million to my brothers and sisters and cousins... here you go pay off your bills buy a new car, house what ever but,,,, this is all there is you can not have anymore .
74362
Put the money where it can give you the most value at this particular point in your lives.\n\nConsider this order: Emergency fund (3-6 months of living expenses), high interest rate loans, retirement.\n\nMortgage is a long term debt, if it is comfortable for you at this time, leave it. Car? - does it run? Have you had trouble with it? Do you do the regular maintenance on it? If it works, and has no sign of giving up, then continue using the car - should you need to upgrade, consider recently used.\n\nChildren's college fund? Make sure your retirement is good first, then look after the children. It makes no sense to make sure their college education is great, and then have no where to go come retirement.\n\nInvesting in stocks - this is probably where your retirement money will be going. Stock investing is a 10year activity.\n\nWhat would I do with it? I would use it on whatever is the most important thing to me at the time I had the money. Emergency fund, high interest debt, retirement, family, entertainment, work.\n\nGood luck\n\nI am available - you can contact me directly via my website
533452
Invest some of it in your future or your kids (if you have any) futures. But don't forget that we only live once. You should also enjoy some of your money. Pamper yourself some. You deserve it. We all do. If you died tomorrow at least you would go happy. We have to live life to the fullest. You know that Tim McGraw song "Live like you were dying"? But hey, do what you want to do with the money. It's your money and the choice is yours. Take care and have fun!
37965
Pay the same in following year?  Once you pay on the original amount you won, you don't pay anything else the following year, or any other year for that matter.\n\nYou would never have to pay any other taxes on that sum and it would never generate any interest (that would be income) so you wouldn't have anything to declare in future years.\n\nDumb idea though.  You may as well bury it.\n\nWhen you die your spouse will get the amount tax-free.  When he/she dies, your other beneficiaries will have to pay taxes on what they get.\n\nContrary to other answers here, you are able to take a lump-sum payment instead of payments over time.  Every bank also offers interest free accounts.  Every single one.
615655
Count up the money you have. Go to work and save that amount in 12 months. Within a year your money will have doubled, guaranteed.\n\nI've doubled money in far less than a year, but it entailed significant risk. More important to me is to hang on to what I have, save more, and achieve a return of 15% or more every year. I do this by researching and investing in quality stocks of companies that produce hard commodities (oil and mining companies).\n\nBest of success.
354536
Invest better.\n\nCoach
196656
I'd choose royce premier (ryprx)   I have that part of my 401k that they offer at work and for the last year, ( March 2005-2006)  it went up 33.57%.  Plus its 18.74 each share so that would be around 53 shares.   So far since Jan 2006, it went up 11.15%
265176
Doesn't really matter, does it?  Most people take the lump sum and squander it within 5 years.  If you want to take it yearly for 20 years, just divide it by 20 and take off 40% for taxes.\n\nMost millionaires don't even bother with the remote chance of winning.  A buck in hand is better than 200million you're unlikely to win.
105316
I'd go into a business that has low starting capital and a steady revenue in it's first year. I could guarantee not going backrupcy so fast and make a few extra bucks for myself.
493432
Buy a $1,000 Series I Savings Bond.  It's also one of the safest ways to invest.
378837
Spend $100 on something you want/need.\nSpend another $100 on something stupid (go crazy with this one...once in a lifetime thing)\n\nSave the rest.  Put it up somewhere like you didn't even have it until some time comes along when you really really need money.
499633
as the 1st. answer said, sell them .. i'm sure you could always use the money 4 something : )
130004
Invest it ...don't spend it!
15828
A billion dollars is stupid money. I'd keep $200million and give the rest away to deserving causes. I would be more than happy with what I had left and living off the interest. As daft as it may sound, I think knowing the rest had gone where it's most needed would provide more satisfaction than the whole billion could buy.
84964
I like the answer provided by "Financial Answer Guy". \n\n(1) You should have some form of protection if anything happens. It is just like you have to buy car insurance. Do you think your life worth less than your car?\n\n(2) You should be aware that there are many forms of insurances and balance between them if possible.\n\n(3) Please check the rating of the insurance company before buying. You don't want an insurance company that disappears when you need the pay out, right?
627002
If the interest is about the same between the guaranteed and un-guaranteed investments, I would without question take the guaranteed option.  Even if the interest is slightly higher in the unguaranteed option, having that security is worth the reduction in the interest rate.
453095
If you just want to invest and have no input i'd put most into cash management and get say 6.5% interest (very low risk). I would also put some into shares ie. banks or strong companies that are low risk.\n\nIf this is a lot to you, you dont want to risk it....