Q. I bought a scratch-and-win ticket for my roommate. She said she didn’t want it. Is it legal? — Lucky Break

A winner of the lottery can take a $ 1,000,000 prize as a lump sum or an annuity option.

If you take the lump sum, you’ll likely wind up with around $600,000 to $700,000 in tax, which feels like a head-turning amount all at once.

The first thing to do is to ensure the ticket is safe and secure.

My mother-in-law wants to buy my first house from me, sort of sort of a deal.

She wants to pay off my remaining mortgage note (right at $ 80,000 ) and take the title to the house.

I feel like I might be getting taken advantage of, and my MIL wants me to sell it for much less than I could get.