The next Powerball rafflescheduled for Wednesday, August 27, offers A accumulated well estimated at $ 815 million. With such a shocking figure, many members of the migrant community in the United States ask the same question: Can an undocumented buy a ticket and collect the prize if he wins?
The answer, although surprising for some, is yes. The Powerball Organization establishes that it is not necessary to be a citizen or legal resident to participate.
“It is not necessary to be an American citizen or resident to play Powerball ”indicates The official site of the draw. “Jurisdiction players where tickets are not sold, either in the United States or abroad, visiting a selling jurisdiction, can buy Powerball tickets in an authorized retailer.”
The only requirement is to be over 18 years old and Acquire the ticket in an authorized jurisdiction.
Now, Being able to play does not eliminate certain complications at the time of charging the prize, especially for those who do not have regular immigration status.
If an undocumented person is winning, You must claim your prize in the state where you bought the ticket. And that is where obstacles begin. Each state imposes its own requirements to claim a lottery awardincluding the presentation of a valid official identification.
For example, In California, an identification with photography issued by the Government is required. In Floridathe use of current documents or less than five years old, as a driver’s license. If a migrant does not have an accepted document, he can face problems to receive his prize. New York, Colorado, Connecticut and Idaho are other states that require official identification issued in the United States.
Another important factor is anonymity. Some states allow the winner to remain in anonymitywhich is attractive to undocumented people who fear to expose. Among the states that offer this option are Deaware, Kansas, Texas (for prizes greater than $ 1 million) and New Jersey. Here other states that allow anonymity:
- Arizona: Awards winners of $ 100,000 or more.
- Arkansas: winners of $ 500,000 or more can remain anonymous for more than three years.
- Georgia: Awards greater than $ 250,000.
- Illinois: Awards of up to $ 250,000.
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Mountain
- North Dakota
- Virginia: Winners of more than $ 10 million.
- Wyoming
On the contrary, states like California, New York or Florida do not allow anonymitywhich means that the name of the winner becomes public.
Win millions also implies paying taxes. In the US, Any prize exceeding $ 600 is subject to federal taxes. In addition, some states apply additional state taxes, such as New York, Maryland, New Jersey or Oregon, with rates that range between 8 % and 10 %.
Even without legal status, a migrant is obliged to pay taxes on their profits. This It may require obtaining an iTin (taxpayer personal identification number) to declare income against IRS. Although the process may seem complex, it is not impossible with adequate legal and accounting advice.
Over the years, there have been reports of migrants, even without documents, which have managed to claim lottery awards. The most important requirement is not citizens, but Comply with the conditions of the State where the ticket was bought and present the required documentation.
Given the appeal of a multimillionaire prize such as Powerball’s current one, it is essential that anyone interested in participating, especially migrants without papers within the United States, are informed in advance of the laws of the lottery in their state.
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