Yesterday we let you know Mecklenburg County published the names, addresses and outstanding tax debts of citizens who are behind on their taxes in Sunday’s Charlotte Observer. Today they report on a little known fact: if you hit it big in the lottery and you are behind on your taxes, medical fees, child support or tuition payments — guess who gets first dibs? Not you.
Winning the lottery in North Carolina can mean no payout if the winner owes the state back taxes, student loans or child support.The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Tuesday that the state has collected $1.3 million in overdue payments from lottery winners since the first ticket was sold in 2006.
Some winners also have had to repay hospital debts. State law requires that officials check winners to see if they have such debts.
Read the rest of this Charlotte Observer article here.
Another potential downfall to winning the lottery:
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 5, 2009.
I think this is great! If they owe the money they should pay it. If they do not pay it we the general public are left to pay the losers bill. Basically they became “the rich” and the greedy rich jerk off does not want to pay his bills. This would be an outrage if he had earned his money instead of instantly winnning it in the lotto.
and so goes the state monopoly on gambling. Illegal if you and I do it, but legal if the state does it.
Figures…
Good point.
Even if we allowed gambling, a normal company would be put behind bars for giving the odds the government provides.