Bill Odiwuor Kawaka

Here's a hypothetical I love to ask people: If you won the Mega Millions jackpot tomorrow, (let's say 500m), what would you do? I love asking this question because it allows me to get into the mind of the person and see what desires they have, as well as the financial literacy they possess. I try not to scale responses based on intelligence and instead treat it as a thought experiment, but hey, I'm only human.

I have heard every answer under the sun, ranging from moving to LA to pop bottles with models to purchasing a penthouse in NYC and directing films for the next half century. I love the really long, methodical answers that people come up with, and I would put myself in that category. If somebody is unwilling to provide an interesting answer, I break it down.

"First off, where are you storing the ticket? Will you tell anyone? Are you taking the lump sum or the annuity? Who's receiving the first gift?"

Here's what I would do: Upon realizing I have the winning numbers, I would force myself to sit in complete silence for 10 minutes. Heart attacks are real, and cortisol kills. I would always take the lump sum despite the heavy tax hit. I am uncertain about claiming it directly, since I would prefer total anonymity. From there on: financial advisors, accountants, and lawyers. I would silently build my own wealth to combine with my winnings, making my spending habits seem natural, and all gifts or donations would always go through my financial advisors.

The problem I've noticed with this hypothetical is that even after receiving 300m, it still doesn't feel like I must stop earning money. Anyways, welcome to my website.

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