First 5 things to do if you win the Powerball jackpot

DENVER (KDVR) — Many of us are dreaming a Powerball dream, now that the jackpot is approaching $2 billion.

If you are lucky enough to win, here are the first five things you need to do, according to financial planners.

1. Protect your ticket

"You do not want to lose that ticket so make sure you have it in a safe spot where you know you can get to at any time," said Thomas Reilly with Strategic Wealth Designers.

2. Put together your financial team

"You almost want to view yourself as a business. You are going to want CPAs and accountants. You are also going to want to have investment advisers across the board," Reilly said. Wally Darling, owner of Lakewood Hills Investments, agrees.

"Everybody you know is going to come at you and say, hey, I got a million-dollar idea over here. Can you invest?" Darling said.

3. Decide if you want the lump sum or the annuity

Jackpot winners are given a choice between a lump-sum payment or an annuity paid out over nearly three decades.

4. Decide where to put the money

"You can't just put $400 million into a bank," Darling said. There could be FDIC regulations to consider before making a large deposit.

5. Take a deep breath and know that life is about to change