Separated For Years But Jackpot Must Be Shared!

Excitement has turned to horror for one lucky, or should we say unlucky Mega Millions jackpot winner, after he is told he must share his $80million win with his ex-wife!

Here’s What Happened

A little context, in 2013, two years after filing for divorce from his then-wife Mary Elizabeth Zelasko, Michigan man Richard Zelasko won $80million (£62million) on the Mega Millions…

…at this point he had already been estranged from his former spouse for a period of four years! The couple married in 2004 and had three children together, however, at the time of the lottery win, the divorce was still sat on the arbitrators desk, and he deemed the ticket was purchased as part of the couple’s assets!

With that in mind, the arbitrator awarded the ex-wife $15million of Richard’s $38million before dividing the rest between the pair – what a bonus for her! Richard won $80million but due to taxes, fees and opting for a one-off lump sum payment, he actually received a sum less than this.

The arbitrator stated that all property acquired from the official date of marriage to the official entry date of the divorce decree is considered a marital asset, which includes property acquired during a separation. To justify the ruling, he also documented the number of failed lottery-attempts the man had made throughout the marriage, he said: “As losses throughout the marriage were incurred jointly, so should winnings be shared jointly.A Michigan appeals court said it hadn’t found errors in the ruling so no changes will be made.”

Purchasing just one lottery ticket cost Richard a dollar but that dollar, according to the arbitrator, was joint money – a joint investment if you will. The lawyer representing Richard, Michael Robbins, said he acknowledged the decision of the appeals court adding it was “very difficult to overturn an arbitration.”

Paying Out Lottery Prizes

In the US, when winning a lottery jackpot, the lucky ticket holder has the option of collecting the entire jackpot win in full but over a 29-year period, or they can choose to receive a one-off lump sum (minus taxes and fees). Every state and lottery company in the country has its own rules when it comes to cash payouts and taxes will pay a major role in the decision.

A one-off lump sum is the most popular option among jackpot winners as it allows the winner to receive instant access to their (smaller) cash prize for investments or purchases. The alternative may be paid in 29 annual installments but it is guaranteed every year and guaranteed to pay the entire sum across the annuity.

Did you know?The largest Mega Millions jackpot was $1.602billion! On August 8^th, 2023, the Mega Millions jackpot soared to new heights. The big prize (won in Florida), of $1.602 billion smashed the previous record of $1.537 billion out of the park which was won in South Carolina on October 23^rd, 2018.

Source:

“Mega Millions Lottery Winner Has To Share £11.7m Of The Jackpot With Ex-Wife”, mirror.co.uk, August 21, 2023.