What would be your first reaction if you received an inheritance?
When a client received an inheritance from her elderly aunt, she told me:
“I thought she was going to leave everything to my cousin. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that any of it would come to me. Although the extra money will come in useful, I don’t know what to do with it! I spend my nights worrying about whether I should invest it or if I can spend any of it.”
Did you inherit worry as well as money?
This client’s anxiety about what to do with an inheritance is not unusual. Strange as it may sound, many people who receive an inheritance or windfall worry about losing their new assets, and this fear paralyzes them. Other people go to the opposite extreme and spend it all without a second thought.
Another common problem that inheritors face is when other people find out about their new wealth and want some of it. In the same conversation, my client told me:
“When a distant cousin heard that I’d been included in my aunt’s will, he called me up for the first time in over 20 years and begged me for a sizable loan to start a new business. What do I tell him? It’s hard to say no to family.”
Get some answers
Since people often ask me questions on what they should do after they receive an inheritance, I created a 20-minute online webinar called, “How to Invest an Inheritance.” The webinar addresses the following points:
- What should be your initial response when you find out about your sudden windfall?
- When and how should you invest the money?
- What to do if you are approached for requests for loans or gifts.
Register for the free webinar at Profile-Financial.com/webinars to find out more.
Douglas Goldstein, CFP®, GFP®, is the director of Profile Investment Services, Ltd. www.profile-financial.com. He is a licensed financial professional both in the U.S. and Israel. Call (02) 624-2788 for a consultation on how to set up your American assets to meet your financial goals. Securities offered through Portfolio Resources Group, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC, MSRB, FSI. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not those of Portfolio Resources Group, Inc. or its affiliates. Neither PRG nor its affiliates give tax or legal advice.
Published March 27, 2017. Updated January 2023