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Windfall Profits

Categories: Tax, Ethics/Morals

Waterfall. Snowfall. Pratfall. Yeah, none of those are what we’re talking about here. So what’s a windfall? It’s an incredible, unexpected fortune, usually of the dolla’ dolla’ bill variety. Like…you’re at the blackjack table, and you think you’re only about to win $15 for the hand, but it turns out you just won the casino’s 1 millionth hand, and suddenly you’re surrounded by streamers and confetti and heavily makeuped women in rhinestone-studded dresses and you’re being handed a massive check for 1 million dollars.

Yeah, you should probably not double-down. Or you bought a powerball ticket on a whim. You usually never waste your money on those things, but you had a single that was burning a hole in your pocket, and you were bored while waiting in line at the Kwik-E-Mart, so…you took a shot. And you scored. You’re set for life. Huge windfall.

Another example: You were employee #8 at Google, and you decide to finally cash in your stock options. Less of a windfall. And more of a skyfall. It might be time to do a Google search for “How much does it cost to buy your own island?”

Related or Semi-related Video

Finance: What is a windfall?2 Views

00:00

Finance Allah Shmoop What is Ah windfall Waterfall snowfall pratfall

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that none of those are what we're talking about here

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So what's a windfall Well it's an incredible unexpected sudden

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fortune usually of the dolla dolla bill variety like you're

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at the blackjack table and you think you're only about

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to win fifteen bucks for that hand But it turns

00:29

out you just won the casinos one million hand and

00:33

suddenly you're surrounded by streamers and confetti and heavily made

00:36

up women in rhinestone studded dresses And well you're being

00:40

handed a massive check for one million dollars Yeah you

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should probably not double down or you bought a Powerball

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ticket on a whim You usually never waste your money

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on these things But you had a single that was

00:53

just burning a hole in your pocket And you were

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bored while you were waiting in line at the Quickie

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Mart there So you took a shot and you scored

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and now you're set for life Huge windfall Yeah Final

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example You were employee number eight at Google and you

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decide to finally cash in your stock options Less of

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a windfall and more of a sky fall there but

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well it might be time to do a Google search

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for how much does it cost to buy your own 00:01:17.84 --> [endTime] island Yeah that's a good one

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