Who would you tell?

I can’t imagine hiding a big win from my DH, we have always shared everything and have joint accounts. My two sons, two daughters in law and three grandchildren would find out when they received monetary gifts which would be most of the win.

If I had answered a survey asking that question, I suspect I would have been one of the people saying that they wouldn't tell their spouse/ partner.
However, I known that in real life that would be unrealistic. It would be impossible to both enjoy it and hide it from my OH.

I can already hear some of you wondering why on earth I would even consider that option. Let's just say that it comes from long experience of his attitude to money.

There's only one member of my family I would tell if I won a life changing amount of money and would probably conceal exactly how much even from him. I would like to do "hidden" things like endowing a studentship at my old uni for someone bright from a less privileged background to do a degree. I would probably move to somewhere more suitable for my mobility needs but never spend it in obvious ways like flashy cars and an ostentatious lifestyle.

I dealt with a matter whereby people got substantial cheques of money at a meeting. Some never returned home and filed for divorce!

I'd fly to Paris, book into a nice hotel and ring OH to tell him, and to come and join me

Agent Million visits the home address of the £1m prize winners 48 hrs before the draw results are published to inform the winning bond holders of their life changing wins. It’s then upto the winning bond holders holders whether to go public or not. Most don’t to avoid receiving begging letters. Personally I would only tell my husband about my win so that we could decide how we were going to enjoy spending the win. Fingers crossed for September’s draw💰💰💰💰

I'd buy another old car (no more than £1,000 here) but with everything working on it, including the air con. (Yes, these things do exist at that price). I'd have a swimming pool dug out in the garden - gosh, that would get Mrs. Bouquet talking - with a wave machine in it and someone to come and clean it regularly. I'd get some new pants from M & S and I'd have my teeth cleaned. And that's about it.

A good number of us have no spouse or partner for a variety of reasons, myself included. I would tell my kids (adults now of course), but ask them to keep it from their father from whom I've been divorced for 30-odd years because even after all this time I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to get his hands on some of it if it was a particularly large sum. His justification would be the maintenance he paid to me and the children following the divorce. Depending on the amount, I might even choose to conceal it from my siblings and let them find out if they choose to at the time of my death.

Of course winning a million ain't what it used to be!
In some areas of the country £500,000 for example would only buy you a pretty average house!

I think very close family only, and then I don't trust the other halves of said close family to not put pressure on.

I also think that no matter how generous you are at giving some of your lottery win away, there will always be somebody who doesn't think it is enough, or who wants a share of it themselves.

GrannyGravy13 has the right idea - DH and IFA.

I would definitely be telling my family immediately but I think the live-in carer moving in would be a dead giveaway away. That’s what I would spend it on while I needed it. I wish.

I find myself in need of Pension Credits in my mid 70s even after working full time for nearly 60 years and entrusting former husband of 52 years with any money. He eventually walked out after taking legal advice to keep everything in his name but not divorce in order not to pay my share. I have no money to go for costs. I don't trust the legal profession now anyway.

I do hold premium bonds. I'd absolutely tell my husband, we have complete transparency about our finances. Depends on the win, any big ones I'd treat my family, including my step-daughter, a great sister to my boys and a good friend to me, in ways I'd feel would benefit them. I'd hold back some for grandchildren to use wisely, not to squander. I wouldn't move house, I'm content where we are, maybe spend small amountS generally upgrading. I'd returf the lawn for instance, it looks sad at the moment and there was room from improvement before the drought. Having just come back from a swish hotel in Devon, more of that! I'd probably get myself a new car, o/h has just bought a new one for himself a couple of months ago, but I don't go far in mine these days. I'd give more to some charities I subscribe to.

I would not tell Mr Quizzer as he is a real Scrooge. We are comfortably off but he will not spend a penny unless he feels it is necessary.

Certainly, while DH was alive, I would have told him.

Now, I would not tell anyone, as even a moderate sum would be likely to put one in the position of being asked for loans.

The one piece of sensible advice Polonius gave his son was "Neither a borrower nor a lender be,"

I would pay off a substantial bankloan I have, then consider how I would use the rest of the money.

Not that it is ever going to happen, but if it did,,,

If you share a win with others they may be liable for tax unless it's a properly set up lottery syndicate. Worth investigating before you burden your children with HMRC...

nanna8

Family and financial advisor only but seeing as how we never buy lottery tickets it ain’t gonna happen. I’d give a lot of it to members of the family who are young and struggling. I feel so sorry for the youngsters today who can’t afford to buy a house. Awful governments we have had for the last 20 years and they are not improving - all words and no action.

“Awful governments” - here or where you are?

Charleygirl5

I have no family. I would possibly tell a couple of friends, but I would keep it to myself until I had worked out how I was going to invest it.

Invest it?? Spend it!

I would give to immediate family and ask everyone else (assuming they found out) why they think they deserve any.

lizzypopbottle

If you share a win with others they may be liable for tax unless it's a properly set up lottery syndicate. Worth investigating before you burden your children with HMRC...

Not if you live longer than 7 years after giving them the money.

I would give it to my DC on the condition they bought me a new set of teeth

petra

lizzypopbottle

If you share a win with others they may be liable for tax unless it's a properly set up lottery syndicate. Worth investigating before you burden your children with HMRC...

Not if you live longer than 7 years after giving them the money.

And even then, only if your estate is worth more than a million, (which of course it would be if you'd won the big prize, and it is taken into account).

Does the liability for gifts diminish as you live on? As in, if you live for six years after giving a gift is there a difference from if you die the next day?

If I were married, my husband, if I had a big win I have plans, I would give to causes near my heart, also some to my son and family, treat all my friends but they would never know about the win, probably wouldn't agree with my plans. Love GrabdMatties idea, helping people who did not have the advantage's of a loving home as mine did, get their self respect and a trade. However I would need a Project Manager. I can dream.

If we're talking about a million, I would tell no-one. I'd spend half on a painting, which could be sold when I die, and give the rest to about 5 charities.
If it was 10 thousand, I'd take a big house in maybe Scotland for a week, which included a cook, and invite all the family.

I would keep it almost completely to myself, especially the amount!

Just between me and DH, though we would most certainly share our good fortunes with family