There is no point reaching for a calculator that cannot show its working. This one starts from federal filing status, percentage increase of payout, rate of return, state tax rate, tax treatment, tax rate i., tax rate ii., how much did you win? and number of years and reports federal or custom1, state or custom2 and net payout, so you can see how each answer follows from the numbers you entered.
What Is the Lottery Annuity Calculator?
The lottery annuity calculator takes federal filing status, percentage increase of payout, rate of return, state tax rate, tax treatment, tax rate i., tax rate ii., how much did you win? and number of years and turns them into federal or custom1, state or custom2 and net payout.
It is the kind of calculation you would otherwise do on the back of an envelope: mechanical, repeatable and easy to get subtly wrong without noticing.
How the Lottery Annuity Figure Is Built
Each result is calculated from the ones before it, so the working is fully visible. That matters when the answer is going to be quoted to somebody else and you need to be able to explain where it came from.
The figures are exactly as good as the assumptions underneath them. Check the rates, the periods and the tax treatment before you rely on the result.
Reading the Result Sensibly
A small change in an input can move the result by much more than you would expect, particularly where the calculation divides by one of the figures you supplied. That is worth understanding before you rely on a figure.
For anything that will be committed to, write the inputs down beside the result. A number you can reproduce is worth far more than one you cannot explain.
A Worked Example
Working through an example, with federal filing status set to 1, percentage increase of payout set to 10, rate of return set to 5, the calculator returns federal or custom1 of -, and state or custom2 of 0, and net payout of 15,274.34. Substitute your own figures and the same steps produce the same kind of answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out federal or custom1?
Enter federal filing status, percentage increase of payout, rate of return, state tax rate, tax treatment, tax rate i., tax rate ii., how much did you win? and number of years. The calculator then works through the relationship and reports federal or custom1, state or custom2 and net payout.
What does the lottery annuity actually calculate?
It takes federal filing status, percentage increase of payout, rate of return, state tax rate, tax treatment, tax rate i., tax rate ii., how much did you win? and number of years and converts them into federal or custom1, state or custom2 and net payout using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter federal filing status?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Does anything you type get stored?
No. The whole calculation runs inside your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded, logged or sent anywhere.
Can I use this for a quick estimate as well as a precise answer?
Yes. The calculator is built for quick checks, so round your inputs to a sensible number of significant figures and the result will be just as useful. If you need more precision, keep the same method and add digits to the inputs rather than adjusting the method itself.