That said, there’s no bad option, whether you take the cash or an annuity. An annuity-in this case, worth an average payout of $40 million per year pretax-can be good protection against losing everything. And receiving half a billion dollars in one fell swoop would be a massive undertaking even for companies with a team of professionals to manage it, let alone one person with, likely, limited money management experience.

Of course, humans don’t always do the “right” thing with their money. There is the possibility for growing that money even more via investing. Most lottery winners take the prize in cash-and, assuming human nature wasn’t a variable, that does make sense. That’s one reason why some experts advise winners to take the annuity payout, as opposed to the cash lump sum. Of course, it’s easier to pay for ongoing costs of homes and other necessities if you have an annual income. Paying off a credit card bill is one thing investing in a friend’s business now that you have the money is another. Take your time and think through the future implications. You can broaden fancy homes out to other big, illiquid purchases and investments. For the latter, there isn’t as big a market as there is for primary residences, which can lead to trouble down the line. Karger is talking more specifically about mansions, as well as second or third vacation homes. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with, say, buying the average home on the block. “I’ve seen clients purchase large homes in faraway locations that they ultimately realize they will not use frequently and end up being a major ongoing financial burden that took several years to sell,” Karger tells Fortune. Paul Karger, cofounder and managing partner of wealth advisory firm TwinFocus, which manages over $7 billion for ultrahigh-net-worth families, advises his clients to wait six months to a year before making any big purchases when they come into sudden wealth.

If you spend down all of your money quickly, as some lottery winners do, then you won’t be able to afford your home’s upkeep. Sure, you might be able to pay off the mortgage now-but you’ll have years of taxes, maintenance, and other costs to cover. Speaking of big purchases: Buying a pricey home is one of the most common mistakes wealthier people can make. Take time to get a tax attorney and trusted financial advisor in place first. This is true not just so you don’t rush into anything you might regret (see below), but also to protect yourself. “Maybe you have student loans you want to pay off-that makes sense. Don’t go out and buy a Ferrari,” says Irwin.

Current powerball jackpot winner