Lottery winnings · Arkansas
Arkansas lottery tax calculator
Arkansas taxes lottery winnings as ordinary income under its graduated schedule — the prize is stacked on your other income, so the rate depends on the total.
Lump sum: enter the cash option, not the advertised jackpot. Annuity: enter one year's payment.
The prize is stacked on top of this. It decides which bracket the winnings land in — and whether the 24% withheld was too much or too little.
What you keep after taxes
25.3% of the prize goes in tax · top federal rate 22.0%
- Prize
- $50,000
- Federal income tax on it
- −$10,350
- Arkansas income tax on it
- −$2,280
- You keep
- $37,370
The cheque at claim
- Federal withheld (24.0% — proceeds over $5,000)
- −$12,000
- Arkansas withheld (rule not transcribed yet)
- —
- Cheque
- $38,000
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At the counter
What is withheld in Arkansas
Federal first, everywhere: on proceeds over $5,000 the payer withholds 24% of the whole amount — not the part over the line — and reports it on Form W-2G. That is a prepayment. The tax is settled on your return.
Arkansas may also withhold state tax at the counter on larger prizes. That rule has not yet been transcribed from the state's own source, so the calculator shows the Arkansas tax you will owe and leaves the at-claim line blank rather than guess.
Worked amounts
Three prizes, cheque and bill
| Prize | Cheque at claim | Federal tax | Arkansas tax | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $7,600* | −$1,550 | −$390 | $8,060 |
| $100,000 | $76,000* | −$22,114 | −$4,230 | $73,656 |
| $1,000,000 | $760,000* | −$337,180 | −$39,330 | $623,490 |
Single filer with $60,000 of other income for the year. * Federal withholding only — the Arkansas at-claim rule has not been transcribed, so the real cheque may be smaller.
Questions
How much tax is taken from lottery winnings in Arkansas?
Two layers. Federal: the payer withholds 24% on proceeds over $5,000, and the prize is then taxed on your return as ordinary income at the 2026 rates — up to 37%. State: Arkansas taxes lottery winnings as ordinary income under its graduated schedule — the prize is stacked on your other income, so the rate depends on the total. Arkansas may also withhold state tax at the counter on larger prizes. That rule has not yet been transcribed from the state's own source, so the calculator shows the Arkansas tax you will owe and leaves the at-claim line blank rather than guess.
Does Arkansas tax lottery winnings?
Arkansas taxes lottery winnings as ordinary income under its graduated schedule — the prize is stacked on your other income, so the rate depends on the total.
What will the cheque be on a $100,000 prize in Arkansas?
About $76,000 — the prize less $24,000 federal withholding. The tax actually owed for a single filer earning $60,000 elsewhere is about $26,344, so what you keep is $73,656. Your own figure depends on your other income and filing status.
Is the withholding the same as the tax?
No. Withholding is a prepayment at a flat rate the IRS sets for everyone. The tax is worked out on your return from your total income. If your bracket is above 24% you owe the difference in April; if it is below, the excess comes back as a refund. On a jackpot the gap is large — roughly a third of the federal tax is still owed after the 24% is taken.
Where these figures come from
- IRS Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754 (Rev. January 2026) — regular gambling withholding, lotteries — read 2026-08-26
- Arkansas DFA — Withholding Tax Formula Method, effective 01/01/2026 — read 2026-08-22
- Arkansas DFA — withholding tax forms and instructions — read 2026-08-22
Federal tax owed uses the 2026 rate schedules and standard deduction from Form 1040-ES. Arkansas tax uses the same rules as our Arkansas paycheck calculator. Not modelled: annuity maths, itemised deductions, local income taxes, non-resident rules. Estimates only — not tax advice.
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