If you win the jackpot, you will have to make many decisions about how to spend your money. But first, you have to choose between the annuity or cash options. Jackpot winners have 60 days from the claim date to select either the 30-payment graduated annuity or the cash option.
Defaulting on a loan, having a car repossessed, or making a late payment all stay on your credit reports for the same amount of time when the borrower reports them. All negative marks including repo (except a bankruptcy) stays on your credit report for seven years. A bankruptcy stays on your credit file for ten years. Repossessions also have a much more severe impact on your credit score than just missing a payment or paying late. Repossessions and defaults carry severe penalties to your credit score and can reduce them by one hundred points or more in one swoop.
The repossession then occurred in January 2003. This will stay on the credit report until September of 2008 for that 7 year period, regardless of when the loan winds up getting paid off. It can stay on the report a bit longer if it goes to court and the bank gets a judgment against the borrower. Say this happens in 2004, then that stays on the credit report another 7 years until 2011. Bankruptcies stay on 10 years while delinquencies and defaults stay on for 7 years. More Information: