The latest season of “America’s Got Talent” has just ended, and fans are really excited about Richard Goodall’s win. He was a former janitor who stood out among the contestants, impressing judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel each week. In the final round, Richard beat out dog act Roni Sagi and the electric drone group Sky Elements to claim the top prize of $1 million.
When host Terry Crews congratulated Richard, he also reminded everyone that the prize would be given as promised. However, there’s an important detail about that $1 million prize that fans might not know. At the end of each episode, a disclaimer appears saying, “The prize, which totals $1,000,000, is payable in a financial annuity over forty years, or the contestant may choose to receive the present cash value of such annuity.”
So, what does this mean? According to Forbes, if a winner decides to take the full cash amount right away (known as the “present cash value”), they would actually receive around $300,000 after taxes. If they choose to take the money over 40 years, they would get $25,000 each year before taxes.
While the exact amount of money winners receive isn’t always clear, many have gone on to earn more after their time on the show. For example, Season 11 winner Grace VanderWaal is acting in the upcoming 2024 film “Megalopolis,” and Season 18 winner Adrian Stoica performed with his dog in a special show in Las Vegas.
Given how incredible Richard was during “America’s Got Talent,” it’s exciting to think about what he might do next!
Adrianna, who writes for Good Housekeeping, covers everything related to TV, movies, and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a degree in journalism and a minor in business management. When she’s not watching her favorite shows, she enjoys martial arts and drinking lots of coffee.
