Take-Home Jackpot

Mega Millions after taxes in Kansas

Mega Millions jackpot $300 million, winner living in Kansas. Cash option $124.1 million.

You keep about

$71.3 million in cash, single filer

Seventy-one million three hundred eight thousand two hundred twenty and 00/100 dollars

Jackpot data as of Sep 26, 2026, for the Tuesday, Sep 29 drawing.

Cash option, from advertised jackpot to what you keep
ItemAmountShare of jackpot
Advertised jackpotSum of 30 annuity payments$300,000,000
Cash optionOfficial cash value$124,100,000
Federal tax withheld at claim24% of the prize−$29,784,000
Federal tax still owed at filingTop bracket is 37%−$16,083,000
Kansas state tax5.58% of the prize; $6.2 million withheld at claim−$6,924,780
You keep23.8% of the advertised jackpot$71,308,220
Payout

Kansas has two brackets: 5.2%, and 5.58% on taxable income over $23,000 for single filers, so jackpots are taxed at 5.58%. The Kansas Lottery withholds only 5% when federal withholding applies (prizes over $5,000), so extra state tax is due at filing. Nonresidents with Kansas winnings must file a Kansas nonresident return.

Lump sum or annuity in Kansas

Lump sum and annuity after tax in Kansas
Cash optionAnnuity (30 payments)
Before tax$124,100,000$300,000,000
Total tax−$52,791,780−$126,240,008
You keep$71,308,220$173,759,993
In today's dollarsannuity discounted at 3% a year$71,308,220$105,238,446
When you get itAll at once$2.6 million now, then yearly up to $10.7 million

The annuity keeps $102.5 million more after tax in total but pays it over 29 years; the cash would need to earn 5.72% a year after tax to fund the same payments. How to think about the choice.

The 30 annuity payments

30 payments from $2.6 million to $10.7 million after tax
30 annual payments, taxed in the year received (2026 brackets assumed every year)
PaymentYearBefore taxFederalStateAfter tax
12026$4,515,431−$1,620,710−$251,961$2,642,760
22027$4,741,202−$1,704,245−$264,559$2,772,398
32028$4,978,262−$1,791,957−$277,787$2,908,518
42029$5,227,175−$1,884,055−$291,676$3,051,444
52030$5,488,534−$1,980,758−$306,260$3,201,516
62031$5,762,961−$2,082,296−$321,573$3,359,092
72032$6,051,109−$2,188,910−$337,652$3,524,546
82033$6,353,664−$2,300,856−$354,534$3,698,274
92034$6,671,347−$2,418,399−$372,261$3,880,687
102035$7,004,915−$2,541,819−$390,874$4,072,222
112036$7,355,161−$2,671,410−$410,418$4,273,333
122037$7,722,919−$2,807,480−$430,939$4,484,500
132038$8,109,064−$2,950,354−$452,486$4,706,225
142039$8,514,518−$3,100,372−$475,110$4,939,036
152040$8,940,244−$3,257,890−$498,866$5,183,488
162041$9,387,256−$3,423,285−$523,809$5,440,162
172042$9,856,619−$3,596,949−$549,999$5,709,670
182043$10,349,449−$3,779,297−$577,499$5,992,654
192044$10,866,922−$3,970,761−$606,374$6,289,786
202045$11,410,268−$4,171,799−$636,693$6,601,776
212046$11,980,781−$4,382,889−$668,528$6,929,364
222047$12,579,821−$4,604,534−$701,954$7,273,333
232048$13,208,812−$4,837,261−$737,052$7,634,499
242049$13,869,252−$5,081,624−$773,904$8,013,724
252050$14,562,715−$5,338,205−$812,599$8,411,911
262051$15,290,850−$5,607,615−$853,229$8,830,006
272052$16,055,393−$5,890,496−$895,891$9,269,006
282053$16,858,163−$6,187,520−$940,685$9,729,957
292054$17,701,071−$6,499,396−$987,720$10,213,955
302055$18,586,124−$6,826,866−$1,037,106$10,722,152
Total$300,000,000−$109,500,008−$16,740,000$173,759,993

Full-page version with every state: Mega Millions annuity schedule for Kansas.

How Kansas compares

Kansas ranks 34th of 51 for what a single winner keeps from this jackpot in cash ($71.3 million).

Neighbouring states, same jackpot, cash option, single filer
StateState taxCash kept
Kansas5.58%$71.3 million
Colorado4.4%$72.8 million
Missouri4.7%$72.4 million
Nebraska4.55%$72.6 million
Oklahoma4.5%$72.6 million

All 50 states and DC for this jackpot
Best states to win the lottery

Questions

How much is a $300 million Mega Millions jackpot after taxes in Kansas?

About $71.3 million if you take the cash option ($124.1 million before taxes), or about $173.8 million in total over 30 annual payments if you take the annuity. Kansas taxes the prize at 5.58%.

How much tax is taken out of lottery winnings in Kansas?

At claim the lottery withholds 24% for federal tax on prizes over $5,000. Kansas withholds 5% at claim. On a jackpot this size the final federal bill is closer to 37% of the prize because most of it falls in the 37% bracket, so about $16.1 million more is owed when you file.

What is the Kansas tax rate on lottery winnings?

5.58%. Kansas taxes lottery prizes as income; a jackpot is taxed almost entirely at the top rate of 5.58%, which is about $6.9 million on the cash option.

Is it better to take the lump sum or annuity in Kansas?

The annuity pays about $102.5 million more after taxes in total, spread over 29 years. The cash option comes out ahead only if you can earn more than 5.7% a year after tax on it. Many winners take the cash; the annuity protects against spending it too fast.

Which states do not tax lottery winnings?

Alaska, California, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming do not tax lottery prizes (California only exempts prizes from tickets bought there). Among the 50 states and DC, Kansas ranks 34th of 51 for what you keep from this jackpot.

These figures describe the taxes on a prize that has already been won; they are not a reason to buy a ticket. Jackpot odds are hundreds of millions to one. If gambling is causing problems for you or someone close to you, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (National Problem Gambling Helpline, 24/7).

Sources for this page

Figures are estimates for planning, not tax or legal advice. How they are calculated: methodology. Read the disclaimer.