Plan for lottery winnings: Keep your head

In case you hap­pen to win big in last nights nearly half a bil­lion dol­lar power­ball, a local attor­ney has some advice. Jim Weaner who prac­tices in Defi­ance, told the Cres­cent News that the first thing to do is tell your spouse and no one else. He said it’s impor­tant to con­tact a cer­ti­fied pub­lic accoun­tant and a lawyer before you claim your win­nings, since once you do, you will not be anony­mous. And you must decide how you want your money dis­trib­uted, whether a lump sum spread out over the years. He added that the biggest mis­take win­ners make is a “no plan” spend­ing spree. Finally, you’ll have lots of new friends come out of the wood­work, so Weaner says stay grounded and stay true to your plan.