What the Powerball annuity pays each year, from the first check to the thirtieth
A Powerball jackpot taken as an annuity isn't divided into 30 equal checks. It is paid as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments, each 5% larger than the one before, according to Powerball. The effect is a schedule that starts well below the average and ends far above it.
On every $100 million of advertised jackpot, the numbers work out like this before taxes.
| Payment | Amount per $100 million | Paid out so far |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (immediate) | $1,505,144 | $1.5 million |
| 2nd | $1,580,401 | $3.1 million |
| 5th | $1,829,511 | $8.3 million |
| 10th | $2,334,972 | $18.9 million |
| 15th | $2,980,081 | $32.5 million |
| 20th | $3,803,423 | $49.8 million |
| 25th | $4,854,238 | $71.8 million |
| 30th (final) | $6,195,375 | $100 million |
The last payment is a little more than four times the first. The halfway point in dollars arrives only after the 21st payment, so the final ten payments carry just over half of the advertised amount. A straight split would put $3.33 million in each year, and the first 17 payments all fall short of that.
The schedule on the current jackpot
The jackpot for Wednesday, September 30 is advertised at $409 million, with a cash option of $170.2 million. Taken as an annuity, it would pay out on this track.
| Payment | Before taxes |
|---|---|
| 1st | $6,156,037 |
| 5th | $7,482,701 |
| 10th | $9,550,034 |
| 20th | $15,555,999 |
| 30th | $25,339,083 |
The full 30-year schedule for whatever the jackpot is today, with state-by-state take-home, is on our Powerball analysis page.
What state tax does to each check
Federal tax applies everywhere, and a check this size lands in the 37% bracket. State tax varies widely, and because it hits each payment for 30 years it adds up.
| Where the ticket was bought | Top state rate | State tax on the 1st payment | State tax over all 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida, Texas, Washington, Tennessee, and others | 0% | $0 | $0 |
| California (its own lottery) | 0% | $0 | $0 |
| Pennsylvania | 3.07% | $188,990 | $12.6 million |
| Georgia | 4.99% | $307,186 | $20.4 million |
| New Jersey | 10.75% | $661,774 | $44.0 million |
| New York | 10.9% | $671,008 | $44.6 million |
Those state figures use each state's top rate and assume the winner lives where the ticket was bought. New York City residents pay city income tax on top. How the annuity stacks up against the cash is in lump sum versus annuity, and the take-home on a single year's prize by state is in our state tax breakdown.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the Powerball annuity paid out?
As one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments, each 5% larger than the last, according to Powerball. On a $100 million jackpot the first payment is about $1.51 million and the thirtieth is about $6.2 million.
How much is the first Powerball annuity payment?
About 1.5% of the advertised jackpot. On the $409 million jackpot for September 30, 2026, the first payment would be about $6.2 million before taxes, and the final payment 29 years later about $25.3 million.
Do all states tax Powerball annuity payments?
No. Florida, Texas, Washington, Tennessee, South Dakota, Wyoming, and New Hampshire have no state tax on them, and California does not tax its own lottery prizes. New York and New Jersey take more than 10% of each payment.
Jessie Jurado is a news writer who covers new scratch-off launches, state lottery guides, taxes on winnings, news, and much more. She joined ScratchCheck in 2026 and writes the site's state-by-state coverage.
