[ad_1]
Katrina Morgan
In July, a Mexican citizen won a $1.325 million jackpot from the Texas lottery. After the news broke, several people in the comments section of a Facebook post about the win wondered if non-U.S. citizens could win, too.
“I thought you had to be a US resident to win?” one user wrote, while another commenter claimed the winners would not have to pay tax because they were not from the US.
Yes, non-citizens can claim lottery winnings.
According to the rules of Powerball and Mega Millions, non-citizens are eligible to play and win lotteries in the United States.
VERIFY also reviewed state lottery commission policies and laws and found no restrictions on noncitizens playing local lotteries in the states they visit or reside.
Non-citizens visiting or residing in the United States may purchase physical tickets in any state and, where applicable, online, as long as they are physically located in the United States at the time of purchase.
“Visitors to the United States can always purchase tickets for our games at U.S. Lottery retailers when visiting this country; you do not have to be a resident or citizen to win,” Mega Millions said.
VERIFY reviewed state lottery laws and commissions and found that no state has rules that prohibit noncitizens from claiming state lottery prizes. But in some cases, there are additional rules for noncitizen winners.
In many cases, non-citizens may be taxed at higher rates on their income than U.S. citizens.
Noncitizens are generally subject to federal taxes of approximately 30% under US Code 1442. They must also pay state taxes in the state where the ticket was purchased.
For example, in Colorado, U.S. citizens who win the lottery are subject to 24% federal tax and 4% state tax, while non-citizens are subject to 30% federal tax and 4% state tax.
For non-citizens, there may also be special rules about where you can redeem your winning lottery tickets.
Some states, such as Connecticut and Maryland, require noncitizens to visit a lottery office to claim prizes over $600. Citizens can usually choose to claim the same prize at another location, such as a lottery store, casino or by mail. Powerball says to contact your local lottery for more details on how to claim your prize by state.
English:
Katrina Morgan
When news broke in July that a Mexican citizen had won the $1.325 million Texas Lottery jackpot, many people speculated in the comments section of a Facebook post announcing the win whether non-U.S. citizens could have won.
“I thought you had to be a US resident to win?” one user wrote, while another commenter claimed the winners would not have to pay tax because they were not from the US.
Yes, non-citizens can claim lottery winnings.
According to the rules of Powerball and Mega Millions lotteries, non-US citizens are eligible to play and win lotteries in the United States
VERIFY also reviewed state lottery board policies and laws and found no restrictions on noncitizens purchasing local lotteries in the state they are visiting or living in.
Non-U.S. citizens traveling or residing in the United States can purchase physical tickets in any state and, where applicable, online, as long as they are physically present in the U.S. at the time of purchase.
“We welcome visitors to the U.S. to purchase our tickets from U.S. lottery retailers during their visit to the U.S.; you do not need to be a U.S. resident or citizen to win,” Mega Millions said.
VERIFY reviewed state lottery commissions and laws and found no state that prohibits noncitizens from claiming state lottery prizes. But in some cases, there are additional rules for noncitizen winners.
In many cases, bonuses may be taxed at a higher rate for non-U.S. citizens than for U.S. citizens.
Noncitizens are generally subject to federal taxes of about 30% under USC 1442. They must also pay state taxes in the state where the ticket was purchased.
For example, in Colorado, U.S. citizens who win the lottery pay 24% federal tax and 4% state tax, while non-citizens pay 30% federal tax and 4% state tax.
There may also be special rules for places where non-citizens can redeem winning lottery tickets.
Some states, such as Connecticut and Maryland, require non-citizens to visit a lottery office to claim prizes over $600. Citizens can usually choose to claim the same prize at other locations, such as lottery retailers, casinos or by mail. Powerball recommends contacting your local lottery for more detailed information on claiming prizes in each state.
Photo: Two Step Jackpot
[ad_2]
Source link
