The upside of losing the lottery

Charleston (WV) Daily Mail ^ | March 31, 2012 | Don Surber

[Mustang Driver]

Unless you had the number 2, 4, 23, 38, 46 and Mega Ball 23 last night, you did not win the $640 million Mega Millions jackpot.

Look at the bright side: You avoided paying Barack Obama $115 million in federal income taxes — and if you live in West Virginia, paying Earl Ray Tomblin $30 million in state income taxes.

This is based on CBS Math with a little Surber Math used to calculate the West Virginia personal income tax.

From CBS News: “The jackpot, if taken as a $462 million lump sum and after federal tax withholding, works out to about $347 million.”

So West Virginians who did not win the big jackpot can be satisfied in the knowledge that they avoided paying $145 million in state and federal taxes.

Now that is what I call sticking it to The Man.

[mrsmith]

Plus you won’t kicked off food stamps!

(But it would have been nice to get a double-wide and lord it over the neighbors...)

[Perdogg]

I could have done a lot of good with that money; good cars, good clothes, good homes, good vacations, and good women. ;)

[Future Snake Eater]

I was going to build a house out of $100 bills...but now that dream is gone...

[NittanyLion]

I was going to build a house out of $100 bills...but now that dream is gone...

Take heart; if the government continues to print money at its current rate, your dream may just be attainable within a decade or two.

[coolbreeze]

Thank God...now I don’t have to go through the ordeal of test driving a Bentley.

[Frankss]

You find out who your friends are!

[netmilsmom]

But, now my church won’t have it’s school.

[Caipirabob]

From CBS News: “The jackpot, if taken as a $462 million lump sum and after federal tax withholding, works out to about $347 million.”

We could celebrate by filling our gas tank.

All of us...

[Yorlik803]

Imagine all the vices. Sleeping in til 7am. Eating steaks, drinking beer, driving new cars.
All that good living would ruin a man.

[KarlInOhio]

I've heard that if you win a large amount if money, you should call all your friends and ask to borrow money before you collect the prize. Those who would lend/give you money are your real friends. Those who blew you off should be treated similarly.

As for the state taxes, you might not be liable for them until you collect the prize. It might be time to move to Florida or Texas before claiming the prize.

[G Larry]

Safety and Security is THE priority in winning.

Oh, and if you give the maximum deductible 30% to charity, you get 35% of that 30% back in a refund.

In this case of 3 winners, that refund amount would be $16 Million, for any one of them.

[skinkinthegrass]

"Take heart; if the government continues to print money at its current rate,
your dream may just be attainable within a decade or two. "just like in post WWI (Pre-Hitler) Germany...the Wienmar Republic,
(the inflation) wheelbarrows of $$$$ to buy just one loaf of bread.
Obama's America
formerly "the breadbasket" of the world,
strangled to death by nanny-state Marxist bureaucrats.

[mrsmith]

LOL!
I’m going to try that joke on my neighbor...

[KarlInOhio]

I could have done a lot of good with that money; good cars, good clothes, good homes, good vacations, and good women. ;)

I agree up to the good women. With that much money I would be sure to include the naughty ones too.

[Mad Dawgg]

"I agree up to the good women. With that much money I would be sure to include the naughty ones too."

Ben: What about your girl?

Partner: Girl?

Ben: Yeah. Elisa. Is she gonna come out and join you, or did she marry your brother?

Partner: To tell you the truth, there is no Elisa. I just read that name somewhere and made it up.

Ben: Them's the best kind... but what l need now is the worst kind.

[murron]

I am up a buck because I didn’t play the lottery. I would have never played those numbers, so I am also a winner. Dollar Store, here I come! I needed a new cheap picture frame and now I can afford one.

[NavyCanDo]

The upside of NOT PLAYING the lottery

I still have my money

[napscoordinator]

I only bought 10 bucks worth. I am in Annapolis and someone won in Baltimore County. Drats....lol. I just hope whoever won the money is someone who really needed it and uses the money for good.

[napscoordinator]

lol. Congratulations and have fun at the dollar store. They can be fun at times.