Lottery winnings · South Carolina
South Carolina lottery tax calculator
South Carolina 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
26.5% of the prize goes in tax · top federal rate 22.0%
- Prize
- $50,000
- Federal income tax on it
- −$10,350
- South Carolina income tax on it
- −$2,910
- You keep
- $36,740
The cheque at claim
- Federal withheld (24.0% — proceeds over $5,000)
- −$12,000
- South Carolina withheld (rule not transcribed yet)
- —
- Cheque
- $38,000
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At the counter
What is withheld in South Carolina
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.
South Carolina may also withhold state tax at the counter on larger prizes. That figure is not on this page yet, so the at-claim line is blank — what you see is the South Carolina tax you will owe on the prize, not what is taken at the window.
Worked amounts
Three prizes, cheque and bill
| Prize | Cheque at claim | Federal tax | South Carolina tax | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $7,600* | −$1,550 | −$540 | $7,910 |
| $100,000 | $76,000* | −$22,114 | −$5,910 | $71,976 |
| $1,000,000 | $760,000* | −$337,180 | −$59,910 | $602,910 |
Single filer with $60,000 of other income for the year. * Federal withholding only — the South Carolina at-claim figure is not on this page yet, so the real cheque may be smaller.
Questions
How much tax is taken from lottery winnings in South Carolina?
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: South Carolina 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. South Carolina may also withhold state tax at the counter on larger prizes. That figure is not on this page yet, so the at-claim line is blank — what you see is the South Carolina tax you will owe on the prize, not what is taken at the window.
Does South Carolina tax lottery winnings?
South Carolina 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 South Carolina?
About $76,000 — the prize less $24,000 federal withholding. The tax actually owed for a single filer earning $60,000 elsewhere is about $28,024, so what you keep is $71,976. 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
- SC Department of Revenue — WH-1603F, Formula for Computing South Carolina 2026 Withholding Tax (Rev. 11/4/25) — read 2026-09-02
Federal tax owed uses the 2026 rate schedules and standard deduction from Form 1040-ES. South Carolina tax uses the same rules as our South Carolina paycheck calculator. Not modelled: annuity maths, itemised deductions, local income taxes, non-resident rules. Estimates only — not tax advice.
Other states
Or start with the lottery tax calculator to compare the federal cheque, final tax bill and every state from one place.