They are responsible for reporting the income in their respective states. It is possible for legal action to be taken to have the lump cash sum remaining in an annuity to be made payable to the estate. The Lottery recommends that all jackpot winners consult a financial advisor and competent attorney as soon as possible. The West Virginia Lottery is not responsible for lost or stolen tickets. Protect yourself by signing the back of your tickets, and include your address and social security number.
Lottery tickets are bearer instruments.
Unless signed, anyone in possession of the ticket can file a claim. It is also available in the District of Columbia. At one time, the annuity or cash option was required at the time a ticket was purchased. After the enactment of Internal Revenue Code section 451h, a player now may switch from annuity to cash within 60 days of claiming a jackpot. This does not prevent a winner from purchasing his or her own annuity with the cash prize.