Baby Contest Prizes & Payments FAQ 2026

Monthly contests award cash prizes to the top 3 winners in each age division. Prize amounts vary by competition - check the current active contest on the Vote page for specific prize values. First place receives the highest amount. Winners receive REAL cash, not gift cards!

All prizes are REAL CASH paid directly to winners via PayPal or Zelle - your choice! We never use gift cards. You receive actual money you can spend however you want.

Monthly contests award prizes to the top 3 places in each participating division. Divisions may be consolidated, so the number of awards depends on the contest. Check the contest details and official rules for prizes and annual qualification.

The Annual Baby Contest is our yearly championship where the best performers from monthly contests compete. Prize amounts and details are announced to qualified winners. Top 10 finishers from each monthly contest automatically qualify!

Absolutely! Babies can win multiple monthly contests throughout the year. Some families have won 2-3 times in different months. Each monthly contest is independent, so you can keep entering and winning!

After the contest closes, we audit all votes for duplicate accounts and fraud (about a week) — then announce winners, and send payment on a scheduled date within 14 days of contest close (sometimes sooner).

Winners choose their preferred method: PayPal or Zelle. Both methods are free — no fees deducted from your prize money!

For identity verification, winners provide: full legal name, mailing address, phone number, PayPal email or Zelle phone number, and photo ID verification. This protects against fraud and ensures prizes go to legitimate winners.

Winners are announced via: direct email to the winning parent, homepage banner, social media posts (Facebook, Instagram), and winner spotlight. You'll also receive a congratulations package with next steps for claiming your prize.

Winners have 30 days to respond and claim their prize. We'll send multiple reminder emails. If no response after 30 days, the prize may be forfeited or awarded to the next eligible contestant.

Yes, contest prizes are considered taxable income in the United States. Winners receiving over $600 in a calendar year will receive IRS Form 1099-MISC. We recommend consulting a tax professional about your specific situation.

While we only issue 1099 forms for prizes over $600, technically all prize income should be reported to the IRS. Consult with a tax professional about your specific tax obligations.

Only the parent or legal guardian who submitted the entry can claim the prize. The person who created the account and entered the baby must be the one to receive payment.

We intend to award prizes in every contest and have a strong track record of paying verified winners. Prizes are based on audited vote totals — not a random drawing. That said, prizes are subject to winner verification, vote audit results, and our Terms of Service. See our Terms for the complete prize policy.

Vote purchases are digital goods that are delivered immediately — votes are applied to the contest entry the moment your payment is confirmed. Unused paid votes can be refunded within 3 days of purchase or before the competition ends (whichever comes first), provided they have not been applied. Once votes are applied to a contest entry, they are non-refundable under any circumstances, including if the competition ends or your entry does not win. If votes fail to register due to a verified system error, you'll receive a full refund automatically. Contact info@babyofthemonth.org within 3 days for eligible refund requests.

Contact info@babyofthemonth.org within 3 days if you purchased the wrong paid vote package. As long as the votes haven't been applied to a contest entry and the competition hasn't ended, we can process a refund or exchange for the correct package.

There are NO entry fees! Entry is completely free. You never pay to enter or to win. The only optional purchases are paid votes to support your favorite babies.

No. Vote purchases are for participation in the contest, not a guaranteed outcome. Your votes are applied to the entry immediately upon purchase — the digital goods have been fully delivered regardless of the contest result. Whether your entry finishes first or last, the service (applying votes) was completed at the time of purchase.

If you have a billing concern — unauthorized charge, billing error, or anything unexpected — contact info@babyofthemonth.org first. We resolve legitimate issues faster than the bank dispute process. For chargebacks filed after votes have been delivered and used without a legitimate basis, we will submit comprehensive evidence of delivery (purchase records, vote logs, IP and device data, acceptance of Terms). Knowingly filing a false chargeback for delivered digital goods may constitute fraud under applicable law, and may result in: reversal of associated votes, account ban, contest disqualification, and recovery action for prizes already paid.