A Powerball jackpot bought in South Carolina is taxed at 6% at the state level, above average. On today's $674,000,000 jackpot that is about $17,033,328 to South Carolina, leaving $161,866,616 from the $283,888,800 cash option.
South Carolina’s top income tax rate is 6%, down from 6.2%, and lottery prizes are fully taxable. No local income tax applies.
Calculate your take-home
South Carolina Powerball payout after tax
| Line | Lump sum | Annuity (30 payments) |
|---|---|---|
| Advertised jackpot | $674,000,000 | $674,000,000 |
| Amount paid out before tax | $283,888,800 | $674,000,000 |
| Federal tax (37% bracket) | −$104,988,856 | −$247,880,007 |
| South Carolina tax (6%) | −$17,033,328 | −$40,440,000 |
| You keep | $161,866,616 | $385,679,992 |
| Share of the advertised jackpot | 24.0% | 57.2% |
Built from today's live cash value ($283,900,000). Single filer, standard deduction, no other income.
How South Carolina taxes lottery winnings
South Carolina uses a graduated income tax, and lottery prizes are ordinary income — not capital gains, not a special category. Because a jackpot is far above the highest bracket threshold, the effective state rate on the prize is the top rate, 6%.
- South Carolina withholds 6.5% on prizes over $500, above the 6% top rate.
- The South Carolina Education Lottery funds scholarships and school buses; prize money is still taxable to the winner.
Three prizes, worked out for South Carolina
| Prize | Cash value | Federal | South Carolina | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1M | $421,200 | −$110,554 | −$25,272 | $285,374 |
| $10M | $4,212,000 | −$1,508,440 | −$252,720 | $2,450,840 |
| Current jackpot ($674M) | $283,888,800 | −$104,988,856 | −$17,033,328 | $161,866,616 |
Smaller prizes are worth checking against your own bracket: below roughly $640,600 of taxable income the federal rate is 35% or less, so the flat 37% used here overstates the bill on smaller wins.
If you live in South Carolina but buy elsewhere
Lottery income is generally taxed by the state where the ticket was purchased, and again by your state of residence, with a credit for tax paid to the first state. That credit is usually capped at the home state's own rate, so a higher-tax home state still collects the difference.
That matters in South Carolina because Tennessee is next door with no tax on a home-state ticket. Crossing the border to buy does not make the prize tax-free for a South Carolina resident — it just adds a second state to the paperwork.
Residency is decided by facts — where you spend the year, where you vote, where your home is — not by the address you write on the claim form. Moving after the win does not retroactively change the state that taxes the prize.
Compare South Carolina with its neighbours
| State | Rate on a jackpot | Take-home (lump sum) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 6% | $161,866,616 | — |
| North Carolina | 3.99% | $167,572,781 | +$5,706,165 |
| Georgia | 4.99% | $164,733,893 | +$2,867,277 |
| Tennessee | 0% | $178,899,944 | +$17,033,328 |
All 46 jurisdictions are listed in the state tax index and the full rate table.
Frequently asked
Does South Carolina tax Powerball winnings?
Yes. South Carolina treats a Powerball jackpot as ordinary income and taxes it at 6% at the top marginal rate. On the current $674M jackpot that is about $17,033,328 on a lump-sum claim.
How much would I keep from the current jackpot in South Carolina?
About $161,866,616 on the cash option ($283,888,800), or about $385,679,992 if you take the 30-payment annuity and stay in South Carolina for all of it. Both figures are before any local tax, professional fees or other income.
Do I pay South Carolina tax if I buy the ticket in another state?
Usually yes. South Carolina taxes residents on worldwide income, so a prize won in a no-tax state such as Tennessee is still South Carolina income. You would generally claim a credit for tax withheld by the state where you bought the ticket, but the credit rarely covers the full 6%.
Can I claim anonymously in South Carolina?
Anonymity rules are set by the state lottery, not the tax code, and they change. Some states let a trust or LLC claim in place of the individual; others publish the winner's name regardless. Check the South Carolina lottery claim rules before you sign the back of the ticket.