84 year old woman wins $590 million power ball prize.

[pnwmom]

I wonder what she'll do with it. Guess she has some happy "family members."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/590-million-powerball-jackpot-claimed-fla-19331093#.Ua-Muu33CYM

The winner of last month's $590 million Powerball jackpot is an 84-year-old woman from Zephyrhills, Fla.

Florida Lottery officials made the announcement Wednesday after Gloria C. Mackenzie came forward to claim the prize. They say Mackenzie took the single lump-sum payment of about $370.9 million before taxes.

Officials say she is the largest sole lottery winner in U.S. history. She did not speak to reporters outside lottery headquarters, leaving in a silver Ford Focus with family members.

[SoCalDem]

1. Yay for her family... and of course her, as well.

I hope she does not lose 1/2 of it by taking lump sum.. Her family would prosper for a very long time with that yearly infusion into a family trust./.

[OriginalGeek]

7. Really?

that goes against everything I've ever heard about these large jackpots. Maybe because of her age it would be better to take the installments?

Not that I am listening to financial planners - just everyday folks yakking about "What if?" They all think they can do more with half than the government can with all of it...Seems to me like 200+ million is a good start on a nest-egg...


Zephyrhills is only about an hour away...maybe I should mosey on over and start making friends...

edit to add:

Florida Lottery officials made the announcement Wednesday after Gloria C. Mackenzie came forward to claim the prize. They say Mackenzie took the single lump-sum payment of about $370.9 million before taxes.

370M is even better!

[pinboy3niner]

11. Some will mosey over and start making relatives

[OriginalGeek]

15. It's good work

if you can get it!

[hollysmom]

9. If she took the annuity, she would need to

do something special in her will, otherwise the family would be paying the taxes before they can access the money, an impossible task.So let's hope she shares with her family now. I think she won enough that taxes would not hurt her that much.

I am not nearly that old, but I would only take the money if my family shared it right now on the stage with me. Heck, with that much, I would include some dear friends as well. How much more than a million do you need for the rest of your life?
Let's see, there would be my siblings, their adult children, with special accommodation for the younger ones. All sins forgiven, no anger to hold onto. Heck, I would even include my republican brother.

Then there would be the friends who have stuck by me for 40 years and the charities I volunteered with, oh, and starting a local animal shelter because then I can have lots of animals around every day as a no kill and we don't have one near here, they are all kill shelters or foster homes for the no kill. Heh, I even have a location for it.

Yeah, all I would like to add for me is a small condo at the beach, don't need more than that now.

[B2G]

24. You have to take the lump sum at that age

Yearly enstallments end upon your death. They wouldn't continue to be paid to a trust.

Which is why no one takes them.

[onehandle]

2. Please don't be a GOPteabagger and/or a fundie... Please no... nt

[callous taoboy]

3. "About damn time," she was reported to have said.

Kidding.

[Nye Bevan]

4. Heh. Nobody will be forgetting Grandma's birthday from now on (nt)

[malaise]

13. I'm betting she will have many more grandchildren than

she had before the winnings

[Puzzledtraveller]

5. Boo, what a load of crap, lol

Lame, draw again, give us a more entertaining winner!!

[Scuba]

6. Is she married?

[Puzzledtraveller]

10. You win

[In_The_Wind]

8. Mom!

You remember me?

[rurallib]

26. you're not my sister

is she, Mom?

[In_The_Wind]

27. I am. I am. Really I am!

[DJ13]

12. Hi Grandma, remember me?

[Buns_of_Fire]

14. Good for her. Is she looking for someone to adopt?

Nah, never mind. I figure she's probably got relatives coming out of the woodwork by now -- some of whom might actually be related to her.

[Bombero1956]

16. Really have mixed feelings about an 84 year old winning all that money.

Has anyone ever noticed that the vast majority of the winners have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel? Hardly enough time to enjoy the winnings.

[pnwmom]

22. I wonder if older people are a high fraction of the players?

It does seem like many of the winners are older.

[Floyd_Gondolli]

25. And from small towns

[JI7]

17. i hope she has family that really cares about her and doesn't allow scumbags

to try to take advantage of her.

[steve2470]

18. I agree

I really hope they encourage her to enjoy the money before she passes away, instead of willing it/donating it/giving it to needy family. I'm sure the "needy family" will be popping out of the woodwork very quickly.

[Douglas Carpenter]

19. I wonder, does God love her more than he loves other people?

[FarCenter]

21. Gambling is proof that god does not answer prayer

Otherwise the casinos would be broke.

[FarCenter]

20. With that kind of money, you set up a family office with lawyers, accountants, and private bankers

Specialists in lottery winnings, estate planning, trusts, tax optimization, international tax havens, etc.

Granny's probably in the Cayman Islands already.

[malaise]

23. I'm trying to remember in which Russian novel did the woman win a lot of money

in her old age