Take-Home Jackpot

Powerball after taxes in New Jersey

Powerball jackpot $360 million, winner living in New Jersey. Cash option $153.6 million.

You keep about

$80.3 million in cash, single filer

Eighty million three hundred six thousand and 00/100 dollars

Jackpot data as of Sep 24, 2026, for the Saturday, Sep 26 drawing.

Cash option, from advertised jackpot to what you keep
ItemAmountShare of jackpot
Advertised jackpotSum of 30 annuity payments$360,000,000
Cash optionOfficial cash value$153,600,000
Federal tax withheld at claim24% of the prize−$36,864,000
Federal tax still owed at filingTop bracket is 37%−$19,918,000
New Jersey state tax10.75% of the prize; $12.3 million withheld at claim−$16,512,000
You keep22.3% of the advertised jackpot$80,306,000
Payout

New Jersey taxes a New Jersey Lottery prize only if that single prize is over $10,000. When it is, the whole prize is taxable, with a top rate of 10.75% on income over $1 million. The lottery withholds 5% from prizes of $10,001 to $500,000 and 8% from prizes over $500,000, and nonresidents are taxed the same way.

Lump sum or annuity in New Jersey

Lump sum and annuity after tax in New Jersey
Cash optionAnnuity (30 payments)
Before tax$153,600,000$360,000,000
Total tax−$73,294,000−$170,400,008
You keep$80,306,000$189,599,993
In today's dollarsannuity discounted at 3% a year$80,306,000$114,822,725
When you get itAll at once$2.9 million now, then yearly up to $11.7 million

The annuity keeps $109.3 million more after tax in total but pays it over 29 years; the cash would need to earn 5.48% a year after tax to fund the same payments. How to think about the choice.

The 30 annuity payments

30 payments from $2.9 million to $11.7 million after tax
30 annual payments, taxed in the year received (2026 brackets assumed every year)
PaymentYearBefore taxFederalStateAfter tax
12026$5,418,517−$1,954,851−$582,491$2,881,175
22027$5,689,442−$2,055,094−$611,615$3,022,733
32028$5,973,915−$2,160,349−$642,196$3,171,370
42029$6,272,610−$2,270,866−$674,306$3,327,439
52030$6,586,241−$2,386,909−$708,021$3,491,311
62031$6,915,553−$2,508,755−$743,422$3,663,376
72032$7,261,331−$2,636,693−$780,593$3,844,045
82033$7,624,397−$2,771,027−$819,623$4,033,747
92034$8,005,617−$2,912,078−$860,604$4,232,935
102035$8,405,898−$3,060,182−$903,634$4,442,081
112036$8,826,193−$3,215,692−$948,816$4,661,685
122037$9,267,502−$3,378,976−$996,256$4,892,270
132038$9,730,877−$3,550,425−$1,046,069$5,134,383
142039$10,217,421−$3,730,446−$1,098,373$5,388,602
152040$10,728,292−$3,919,468−$1,153,291$5,655,532
162041$11,264,707−$4,117,942−$1,210,956$5,935,809
172042$11,827,942−$4,326,339−$1,271,504$6,230,100
182043$12,419,339−$4,545,156−$1,335,079$6,539,105
192044$13,040,306−$4,774,914−$1,401,833$6,863,560
202045$13,692,322−$5,016,159−$1,471,925$7,204,238
212046$14,376,938−$5,269,467−$1,545,521$7,561,950
222047$15,095,785−$5,535,441−$1,622,797$7,937,547
232048$15,850,574−$5,814,713−$1,703,937$8,331,925
242049$16,643,103−$6,107,948−$1,789,134$8,746,021
252050$17,475,258−$6,415,846−$1,878,590$9,180,822
262051$18,349,021−$6,739,138−$1,972,520$9,637,363
272052$19,266,472−$7,078,595−$2,071,146$10,116,731
282053$20,229,795−$7,435,024−$2,174,703$10,620,068
292054$21,241,285−$7,809,276−$2,283,438$11,148,571
302055$22,303,349−$8,202,239−$2,397,610$11,703,500
Total$360,000,000−$131,700,008−$38,700,000$189,599,993

Full-page version with every state: Powerball annuity schedule for New Jersey.

How New Jersey compares

New Jersey ranks 48th of 51 for what a single winner keeps from this jackpot in cash ($80.3 million).

Neighbouring states, same jackpot, cash option, single filer
StateState taxCash kept
New Jersey10.75%$80.3 million
Delaware6.6%$86.7 million
New York10.9%$80.1 million
Pennsylvania3.07%$92.1 million

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

Questions

How much is a $360 million Powerball jackpot after taxes in New Jersey?

About $80.3 million if you take the cash option ($153.6 million before taxes), or about $189.6 million in total over 30 annual payments if you take the annuity. New Jersey taxes the prize at 10.75%.

How much tax is taken out of lottery winnings in New Jersey?

At claim the lottery withholds 24% for federal tax on prizes over $5,000. New Jersey withholds 8% 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 $19.9 million more is owed when you file.

What is the New Jersey tax rate on lottery winnings?

10.75%. New Jersey taxes lottery prizes as income; a jackpot is taxed almost entirely at the top rate of 10.75%, which is about $16.5 million on the cash option.

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

The annuity pays about $109.3 million more after taxes in total, spread over 29 years. The cash option comes out ahead only if you can earn more than 5.5% 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, New Jersey ranks 48th 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.