You can pay off your highest-interest debts, save money for emergencies, or give some to charity. You might consider using it as a down payment on a house or adding it to your child's college fund.
You can deposit a large cash inheritance in a savings account, either through a check or direct wire to your bank. The bigger question is what you should do with it once it's deposited. While that is ultimately your decision, it helps to have a plan. The more prepared you are before you get the inheritance.
Save for Retirement
If you have $40k in the bank, you might be better off investing some of that money in a retirement account. Not only does it give your money more time to grow for retirement, but you can save on taxes at the same time. Investing in your 401k account at work is a great place to start.
Earning $40,000 a year may be considered a good entry-level salary and could be more than enough for someone with low monthly expenses. Adding another income to the mix also makes a difference. For example, if your spouse or partner also earns $40,000, your household income would be $80,000.
The safest way to invest $50,000 would be to put it into a savings account or CD. However, you could also invest in stocks or real estate, start or add to a retirement account, and more. Your goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon until retirement will determine the right choice for you.
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.
The key to making the most of the money is to put it somewhere to earn interest or to invest it – if you're comfortable with the risks associated with this. The main questions you should be thinking about are when you might need the money, how long you can put it away for, and what level of risk you are happy with.”
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.
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.
Methods Executors Use to Mail Inheritance Checks
These checks are typically issued after the probate process is complete and all debts and taxes of the estate have been settled. Executors are responsible for ensuring these checks are delivered securely and efficiently after the probate process.
The first thing to do after receiving a sizable inheritance is to place the funds in a secure account. This could be as a savings account or money market fund, while you take stock. It's important to protect your funds as quickly as possible while you decide how you best want to use your inheritance.
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. Example: You inherit and deposit cash that earns interest income. Include only the interest earned in your gross income, not the inherited cash.
Immediately after receiving an inheritance, you should notify your local Social Security office.
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.
The classic approach to doubling your money is investing in a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds, which is likely the best option for most investors. Investing to double your money can be done safely over several years, but there's a greater risk of losing most or all your money when you're impatient.
$3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year. $36,000 / 6% dividend yield = $600,000. On the other hand, if you're more risk-averse and prefer a portfolio yielding 2%, you'd need to invest $1.8 million to reach the $3,000 per month target: $3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year.
You can still buy some quality companies at premium valuations. And, as long as Wall Street holds up the premium valuation, they could return solid returns over the next decade. Turning $50k to $1 million is possible if you periodically put more money into these millionaire-maker stocks and the stars align for them.