Personal Finance

For the $521 million Mega Millions jackpot winner, here are tips for keeping it quiet

Key Points
  • The winning ticket was bought in New Jersey, a state where it's difficult to shield your identity from the public.
  • Even if the winner can keep their name out of the public eye, it won't necessarily stop the news from spreading without the person taking steps to prevent that.
  • If the winner can't shield their identity, they should get off social media before claiming their winnings and do all they can to make sure personal information — i.e., phone number or address — isn't floating around in cyberspace.
This is what you do if you win the lottery
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This is what you do if you win the lottery

Whoever is holding the single winning ticket for the $521 Mega Millions jackpot is about to discover the tricky part of winning big: remaining anonymous.

The ticket for Friday night's drawing was purchased in New Jersey, a state that does not allow lottery winners to claim their prize anonomously.

While the winner could claim the prize via a trust, New Jersey lottery officials can release the person's name and home town due to state laws, said Jason Kurland, an attorney with Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, a law firm in East Meadow, New York.

Only a handful of states let winners remain anonymous when they collect their prize. Yet experts say it's the most important step to take to protect your sudden wealth.

Whether the winner can shield their identity or not, they should assemble a team of professionals who are experienced in helping lottery winners. That includes an attorney — this should be the first call — an accountant and a financial advisor. These experts should be chosen carefully.

Here are some tips for whoever is holding that winning ticket to maintain their privacy as much as possible.

Contain yourself

Your first urge might be to share your exciting news with, well, the world. However, the fewer people who know, the better — even if you are able to claim your prize anonymously.

"Obviously it may be impossible to keep it from immediate family, but news like this travels quickly," said Kurland, who specializes in helping lottery winners.

Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots

Amount Date Winning Tickets
$656 million3/30/20123-IL, KS, MD
$648 million12/17/20132-CA, GA
$536 million7/8/20161-IN
$521 million3/30/20181-NJ
$451 million1/5/20181-FL
$414 million3/18/20142-FL, MD
$393 million8/11/20171-IL
$390 million3/6/20072-GA, NJ
$380 million1/4/20112-ID, WA
$336 million8/28/20092-CA, NY

Source: Source: Mega Millions

Past winners have discovered the hard way that long-lost friends and relatives can come out of the woodwork looking for a piece of the prize. And it can happen even if you claim your money anonymously.

"Try to keep the circle of people who know as small as possible," Kurland said.

Get off the Internet

If you won't be able to remain anonymous when you collect your winnings, shut down your social media accounts in advance, Kurland said.

"The media will try to find as many pictures of a winner as possible, and social media is the first place to look," Kurland said. "You also want to make sure there's as little personal information out there like your phone number or address."

While any determined snooper or scammer could probably track down that information, you don't want to make it easy for them.

Photo by Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images staff

Plan an escape

Kurland said he advises big-jackpot winners to skip out the day they claim their prize.

"Just being out of town for a few days can help," Kurland said. "In this 24-hour news cycle, the interest in a winner will hopefully disappear after a few days. If you can avoid being around for a week, you might be able to escape the initial exposure."

Consider spending effects

Even in states that let you collect your winnings anonymously, lottery officials might reveal the town where you live.

"Everyone there will be looking around to see who is spending more, who quit their job, who is taking big vacations," Kurland said. "Winners should enjoy their new-found wealth, but if anonymity is a main concern, it can be a difficult balance to strike."

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