If you sign the ticket, it will be in YOUR NAME when you redeem it. That information will be published. Then you will need to keep an even lower profile, which will be impossible.
This is terrible advice.
If you lose the ticket and somebody else signs the ticket, the ticket belongs to them.
You can claim under a trust?
Until it’s signed, it’s not yours. Even if signed, the ticket must have a clear chain of ownership that’s acceptable under the rules.
A few states allow ‘anonymous’ winners, but that’s a joke. Your identity will become known, 100%. Face it.
And there’s no super-secret strategy to avoid the initial taxes unless the winner is already extremely wealthy.
Step up when ready and get the PR out of the way, and then disappear as best you can, at least for a few years. Face that your life will never again be what it was.
The ticket is a bearer instrument, meaning that whoever has possession of the unsigned ticket owns it.
It’s terrible advice NOT to sign it, or execute a plan to secure it otherwise. My earlier advice is to sign it in the presence of a notary and have him document it.
"Maryland lottery officials say the rules have allowed anonymity for as long as they can remember. Delaware, Kansas, North Dakota, Ohio and South Carolina are the other states specifically allowing lottery winners to remain anonymous"
Maryland's big lottery winners want the money, not the renown
Some others allow trusts to claim winnings.
I live in a state where you can remain anonymous...
So you'll never know :)
My state doesn’t require you to go public, fortunately.
I’ll sign it for you; Mr Kimber and I don’t mind the publicity.
Heres my 2 cents worth.
Make a copy of the ticket. Take a picture of yourself holding the ticket (front and back of the ticket that are clearly legible). Take the original and place it in a safety deposit box.
Then start searching for legal and financial representation. When you are ready redeem it.
Then after you form a trust you can write in the name of the trust in larger letters in the space for your signature.
State laws may differ, though, as to how you can get your winnings.
Rather than sign the ticket, simply take a photo of the ticket with your ID and keep it as back-up in case there’s a question or challenge as to whether or not you’re the rightful owner.
Then create a trust and have the trust claim the ticket.
NO- That is the best advice, because you have to prove it is YOUR ticket. If you misplace the tickets-—anyone can sign it & get the $$$.
Many states do NOT require you to be ID’d. Many will allow you to remain anonymous.
If you don’t have a criminal background, you could always change your name.
Unfortunately, many states don’t allow LLC’s to claim prizes. If that’s the case you should move to someplace where nobody knows you.
If you have kids and a wife you’re going to have to get tutoring and go underground
Unless you purchase the ticket in SC or OH. They are the only 2 states that allow the winner to remain anonymous. Anywhere else, signing the ticket is damn good advice.
I recently read the best way to handle it would be to set up an iron-clad trustfund, before claiming the winnings - then sign the ticket in the name of the trust - IDK?
This is terrible advice.
Yes, it is terrible advice.
The first thing to do is see a good lawyer and set up some type of corporation or whatever it is called so you don't have your name on the ticket.
My wife knows a person from her work that won a very large lottery and within the first week they actually became victims of a home invasion and their whole family was kidnapped because their signed their names to the winning ticket.