First, you should create an emergency fund with a portion of your inheritance, to cover at least six months of living expenses. Put it in a readily available savings type account. Then, if you have earned income each year, you should max out on retirement savings plans.
Deposit the money into a safe account
Your first action to take when receiving a lump sum is to deposit the money into an FDIC-insured bank account. This will allow for safekeeping while you consider how to make the best use of your inheritance.
In most cases, an inheritance isn't subject to income taxes. The assets passed on in an investment or bank account aren't considered taxable income, nor is life insurance. However, you could pay income taxes on the assets in pre-tax accounts.
If you received a gift or inheritance, do not include it in your income. However, if the gift or inheritance later produces income, you will need to pay tax on that income.
An inheritance tax is levied on the value of the inheritance received by the beneficiary, and it is paid by the beneficiary. There is no federal inheritance tax. Inherited assets may be taxed for residents of Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Immediately after receiving an inheritance, you should notify your local Social Security office.
There are four ways you can avoid capital gains tax on an inherited property. You can sell it right away, live there and make it your primary residence, rent it out to tenants, or disclaim the inherited property.
A financial advisor can help you put an estate plan together to protect your assets for your family. The best place to deposit the large cash inheritance is in a federally insured bank or credit union account. Putting the inheritance in a savings account is a good option for the short term.
Financial institutions are required to report cash deposits of more than $10,000 in compliance with the Federal Bank Secrecy Act. These reporting standards are intended to alert the government to potential crime and fraud, including money laundering and other illegal activity.
That said, an inheritance of $100,000 or more is generally considered large. This is a considerable sum of money, and receiving such a windfall can be intimidating, especially if you have limited experience managing excess funds.
Inheritance checks are generally not reported to the IRS unless they involve cash or cash equivalents exceeding $10,000. Banks and financial institutions are required to report such transactions using Form 8300. Most inheritances are paid by regular check, wire transfer, or other means that don't qualify for reporting.
Therefore, inheritances do not impact eligibility, and no reporting requirements exist for inheritances or assets received. Before assuming an inheritance will forfeit your benefits, check which program you receive—SSI or SSDI.
Although an inheritance won't affect your Medicare benefits, it could raise your premiums in the short-term. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people aged 65 or older, some younger people with disabilities, or people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
Another key difference: While there is no federal inheritance tax, there is a federal estate tax. The federal estate tax generally applies to assets over $13.61 million in 2024 and $13.99 million in 2025, and the federal estate tax rate ranges from 18% to 40%.
Many states assess an inheritance tax. That means that you, as the beneficiary, will have to pay taxes when you receive an inheritance. How much you'll be assessed depends on the state you live in, the size of your inheritance, the types of assets included, and your relationship with the deceased.
Strategies to transfer wealth without a heavy tax burden include creating an irrevocable trust, engaging in annual gifting, forming a family limited partnership, or forming a generation-skipping transfer trust.
One of the most common issues with inheritance is the dispute over assets. When an estate's value is high, and multiple beneficiaries are involved, this can cause problems.
If you are the designated beneficiary on a deceased person's bank account, you typically can go to the bank immediately following their death to claim the asset. In general, there is no waiting period for beneficiaries to access the money; however, keep in mind that laws can vary by state and by bank.