Take-Home Jackpot

Powerball after taxes in Vermont

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

You keep about

$83.4 million in cash, single filer

Eighty-three million three hundred seventy-eight 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
Vermont state tax8.75% of the prize; $9.2 million withheld at claim (rate not confirmed)−$13,440,000
You keep23.2% of the advertised jackpot$83,378,000
Payout

Vermont taxes lottery winnings at up to 8.75%, on taxable income over about $250,000 for a single filer. Vermont sells Powerball and Mega Millions through the Vermont Lottery.

Lump sum or annuity in Vermont

Lump sum and annuity after tax in Vermont
Cash optionAnnuity (30 payments)
Before tax$153,600,000$360,000,000
Total tax−$70,222,000−$163,200,008
You keep$83,378,000$196,799,993
In today's dollarsannuity discounted at 3% a year$83,378,000$119,179,215
When you get itAll at once$3 million now, then yearly up to $12.1 million

The annuity keeps $113.4 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 $3 million to $12.1 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−$474,120$2,989,545
22027$5,689,442−$2,055,094−$497,826$3,136,522
32028$5,973,915−$2,160,349−$522,718$3,290,848
42029$6,272,610−$2,270,866−$548,853$3,452,891
52030$6,586,241−$2,386,909−$576,296$3,623,035
62031$6,915,553−$2,508,755−$605,111$3,801,687
72032$7,261,331−$2,636,693−$635,366$3,989,272
82033$7,624,397−$2,771,027−$667,135$4,186,235
92034$8,005,617−$2,912,078−$700,491$4,393,047
102035$8,405,898−$3,060,182−$735,516$4,610,199
112036$8,826,193−$3,215,692−$772,292$4,838,209
122037$9,267,502−$3,378,976−$810,906$5,077,620
132038$9,730,877−$3,550,425−$851,452$5,329,001
142039$10,217,421−$3,730,446−$894,024$5,592,951
152040$10,728,292−$3,919,468−$938,726$5,870,098
162041$11,264,707−$4,117,942−$985,662$6,161,103
172042$11,827,942−$4,326,339−$1,034,945$6,466,658
182043$12,419,339−$4,545,156−$1,086,692$6,787,491
192044$13,040,306−$4,774,914−$1,141,027$7,124,366
202045$13,692,322−$5,016,159−$1,198,078$7,478,084
212046$14,376,938−$5,269,467−$1,257,982$7,849,488
222047$15,095,785−$5,535,441−$1,320,881$8,239,463
232048$15,850,574−$5,814,713−$1,386,925$8,648,936
242049$16,643,103−$6,107,948−$1,456,271$9,078,883
252050$17,475,258−$6,415,846−$1,529,085$9,530,327
262051$18,349,021−$6,739,138−$1,605,539$10,004,343
272052$19,266,472−$7,078,595−$1,685,816$10,502,061
282053$20,229,795−$7,435,024−$1,770,107$11,024,664
292054$21,241,285−$7,809,276−$1,858,612$11,573,397
302055$22,303,349−$8,202,239−$1,951,543$12,149,567
Total$360,000,000−$131,700,008−$31,500,000$196,799,993

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

How Vermont compares

Vermont ranks 43rd of 51 for what a single winner keeps from this jackpot in cash ($83.4 million).

Neighbouring states, same jackpot, cash option, single filer
StateState taxCash kept
Vermont8.75%$83.4 million
Massachusetts9%$83 million
New Hampshirenone$96.8 million
New York10.9%$80.1 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 Vermont?

About $83.4 million if you take the cash option ($153.6 million before taxes), or about $196.8 million in total over 30 annual payments if you take the annuity. Vermont taxes the prize at 8.75%.

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

At claim the lottery withholds 24% for federal tax on prizes over $5,000. We could not confirm Vermont's withholding rate at claim; the full state tax is due by the time you file. 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 Vermont tax rate on lottery winnings?

8.75%. Vermont taxes lottery prizes as income; a jackpot is taxed almost entirely at the top rate of 8.75%, which is about $13.4 million on the cash option.

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

The annuity pays about $113.4 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, Vermont ranks 43rd 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.