Can you live off $100 million forever?

Yes, if you spend no more than about $4,000,000 a year. That is 4.0% of $100 million, the standard planning rule for money meant to last indefinitely, assuming it is invested and earns about that much after inflation.

How big a lottery jackpot do you need to end up with $100 million?

Taking the cash option, you need a cash prize of about $158.7 million in a state with no lottery tax like Florida, or about $191.8 million in New York. Federal tax applies everywhere.

How Long Will $100 Million Last? Spending Calculator

Q: How long will $100 million last at $10,000,000 a year?

About 13 years, assuming the rest stays invested and earns 4.0% a year after inflation. With no return at all it would last 10 years.

How Long Will $100 Million Last?

Spend up to $4,000,000 a year and $100 million lasts forever. Spend $10,000,000 a year and it lasts about 13 years.

Assumes the money is invested and earns 4.0% a year after inflation, with all figures in today's dollars. Change any of it below.

How much you have

What you spend each year

In today's dollars. It rises with inflation each year.

What the money earns, after inflation

$100,000,000 spending $10,000,000 a year lasts

about 13 years

To make it last forever, keep spending under $4,000,000 a year.

$100 million at different spending levels

How long the money lasts if you spend the same amount every year, rising with inflation.

Spending a year	Lasts	Runs out in
Up to $4,000,000	Forever	Never
$5,000,000	41 years	2067
$10,000,000	13 years	2039
$20,000,000	5 years	2031

The private-jet tier

One hundred million dollars pays about $4 million a year without shrinking. That is private aviation, staff, several homes and a foundation with your name on it, all funded by the interest.

It is very hard to spend this much by accident, but people manage it on purpose. At $10 million a year the money lasts about 13 years, which is how some of the famous lottery flame-outs happened.

Jackpots big enough to net this much come around a few times a year across Powerball and Mega Millions, usually after a long run without a winner.

What jackpot gets you $100 million?

Lottery prizes are taxed as income, so you need to win a lot more than $100 million to keep it. Taking the cash option, it takes a prize of about $158.7 million in a state with no lottery tax like Florida, and about $191.8 million in New York, the most expensive state.

The cash value is only part of the advertised jackpot. At today's Powerball ratio ($326 million cash for a $760 million jackpot), that is roughly a $369.9 million jackpot.

Got a jackpot in mind?

Pick a real jackpot, see what it pays after tax, spend it on everything you want, and see what the rest pays you for life.

Spend the jackpot

Common questions

Estimates for planning and entertainment, not financial advice. Real returns vary year to year, and a bad run early on shortens how long money lasts. Talk to a financial planner before relying on any of this.