FSD and molar

For next time, see if you can get the prescription ahead of the surgery. Last deal I had was two implants in one session. The y gave me the perscription (antibiotics) up-front, suggested to fill it in advance, which I did.

BTW:, they gave me a quote, that included over $500 CDN for "sedation" (not a full knock-out). I asked how necessary that was, and they said in my case it was relatively straight-forward, not much digging around, so I waived it, just had local (lots though).

And seriously, FSD or no, maybe someone could pitch in to drive you home?

 

For the math inclined, the expected present value of a ticket, after taxes and jackpot sharing discount, is still far below the purchase price. For those playing mostly for entertainment, lottery fatigue has set in. For those playing because they really think they can win or beat the odds, their purses were mostly drained out long ago.

 

I've always understood such windfalls to be taxable when received, not on the drawing date. That is also how jackpots are taxed differently when paid out as annuities vs lump sums.

Changing residency before claiming a jackpot, seems valid. But for the married, a quickie divorce before claiming it is a recipe for losing it all, at least in a community property state. I remember news of a case where a woman got a quick divorce without disclosing her winning ticket, moved in with a sibling and changed name, then collected in secret. But a few months later, a financial advisor or other similar person mis-sent some paperwork to her former address, which tipped off the newly-ex-husband. He went back to the divorce court to collect his half of the prize, but because of the wife's fraudulent and perjurious divorce filing, the judge gave it all to him.

Annuity vs lump sum? Like you, I'm in the annuity camp. Jackpot winners seem very prone to mismanagement, investment failures, over-consumption, theft, cons, and various other disasters. When a lump sum disappears to such a scheme, there is no do-over, no backup. When a year's annuity payout disappears in like fashion, there are still new payments arriving each subsequent year for a very long time, allowing for recovery as one gradually gets more financially mature and savy.

Meanwhile, I'll keep my health insurance paid up, to improve the chances of surviving a couple lightning strikes before it is my turn to win a jackpot.

 

I seem to recall that the winnings must be claimed in the state in which the ticket was sold for amounts above a certain threshold. So that negates the move away as the state will have a record of you earning the money in the state of sale.

For example, NC requires a claim form for winnings of $600 or more. And requires an in person claim of $100k or more for publicity purposes.

Pretty much the same for Mississippi https://www.mslottery.com/players/how-to-claim-your-prize-winnings/

As to when the winnings are taxable, most courts have held that when you receive the winnings. Though there is a legal doctrine called "constructive receipt". But when you win, you'll be able to pay a lawyer to argue for which way you want it.

 

I like to give credit where it is due.
One of the things that they do in the UK that I wish we would do here in the US is lottery distributions.

Fun Fact:
As horrible as it is living under the yoke of their taxes (which is why he have so many smarmy ex-pats HERE) some of the aforementioned countries across the pond do not tax lottery winnings - at least not at the point of distribution.