Domain: tiger-web1.srvr.media3.us Hypothetical - Inherit $1 Million Cash | Money Talk
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Hypothetical - Inherit $1 Million Cash

Posted on 1/12/26 at 12:44 pm
Posted by SaDaTayMoses
Member since Oct 2005
4549 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 12:44 pm
Let's say you are mid-30s, making $150,000/year. 2 kids, under 10, wife works full time earning $80-90k/year.
House & vehicles paid, and fairly new.


Then one day you inherit $1million cash after taxes.

What would you invest in (stocks, real estate, a business) to really maximize profits?

Not "needing" the money that was given and it was a surprise so you want to be aggressive or take way more risk than what you would if you had earned the money...

Also - you wanted to buy/start your own business that would cost about $750,000, but you would have to quit your current job. Would this be an option?
This post was edited on 1/12/26 at 1:03 pm
Posted by NaturalBeam
Member since Sep 2007
14841 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 12:47 pm to
quote:

Hypothetical


Congrats, baw!
Posted by cgrand
HAMMOND
Member since Oct 2009
47016 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 12:49 pm to
yes
Posted by masoncj
Atlanta
Member since Jun 2023
606 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 12:54 pm to
Every situation is different

My wife wanted to stay at home with kiddos at that age so we most likely would have put the money in brokerage and replaced her income that way until she decide she wanted to work again.
Posted by metallica81788
NO
Member since Sep 2008
10139 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 1:35 pm to
A far more realistic scenario would be with the house not paid off - that way you could introduce that possibility into options

How many mid 30s have their house paid off?
Posted by wickowick
Head of Island
Member since Dec 2006
46294 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 2:03 pm to
quote:

want to be aggressive or take way more risk than what you would if you had earned the money


Hookers and blow?
Posted by 50_Tiger
Arlington TX
Member since Jan 2016
43165 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 2:16 pm to
Enough in QQQI to make 100k a year and the rest in VOO
Posted by Sterling Archer
Member since Aug 2012
8273 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 2:31 pm to
What's your hypothetical target retirement number? How much do you hypothetically have saved now?

I think I'd just keep working and use it to accelerate my target retirement number and keep investments boring with some Vanguard Growth ETF's until I hit my number.
Posted by BestBanker
Member since Nov 2011
19115 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 2:46 pm to
quote:

to really maximize profits


Buy my book!
Posted by lynxcat
Member since Jan 2008
25066 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 2:48 pm to
People way over complicate this stuff.

Setup a taxable brokerage and invest in VTI and be done with it.

You can carve some dollars to max a Roth IRA annually.

It can be this simple if you allow it to be.
Posted by Lee Chatelain
Official TD Sauces Club Member
Member since Oct 2008
12386 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 5:58 pm to
quote:

SaDaTayMoses


Who gave you a million dollars?
Posted by KillTheGophers
Member since Jan 2016
6750 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 9:47 pm to
Posted by saderade
America's City
Member since Jul 2005
26300 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 10:10 pm to
How much do “they” have currently invested?
Posted by Craft
Member since Oct 2019
1047 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 11:00 pm to
Pay off house regardless of interest rate, pay off all debt in general, put rest in VOO.
Posted by Everyday Is Saturday
Member since Dec 2025
173 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 11:45 pm to
quote:

so you want to be aggressive or take way more risk than what you would if you had earned the money...


Why?

Compounding runway length of 20-30yrs is key. Bank the time and don’t fret so much about ‘greater risk’ for implied higher return. VTI, as stated, is simple and solid advice.

In 20-25 yrs, VTI may produce a value that yields $150,000/year (another salary) and you never have to touch the principle on 4% annual distribution.

I’d focus on the why and outcome desired before pre concluding higher risk for sake of.
Posted by saderade
America's City
Member since Jul 2005
26300 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 11:46 pm to
quote:

Pay off house regardless of interest rate,
No, definitely depends on the rate
This post was edited on 1/12/26 at 11:50 pm
Posted by Everyday Is Saturday
Member since Dec 2025
173 posts
Posted on 1/12/26 at 11:55 pm to
quote:

Pay off house regardless of interest rate, No, definitely depends on the rate


Definitely does!

Build wealth and peace of mind. If can invest for positive spread (earning - cost), do it.

Paying off house ain’t only path to peace of mind. Having it grow to financial freedom or financial freedom and possibly also paying off house are sure ways to peace of mind. Keeping option to payoff house, in so doing, also peace of mind.

Posted by Upperdecker
St. George, LA
Member since Nov 2014
32850 posts
Posted on 1/13/26 at 1:54 am to
SPY and chill. That money becomes your new retirement fund. Reduce your future retirement savings to just 401k and enjoy the new play money in your budget

“Hypothetically”
Posted by Upperdecker
St. George, LA
Member since Nov 2014
32850 posts
Posted on 1/13/26 at 1:58 am to
quote:

You can carve some dollars to max a Roth IRA annually.

Why even bother with this? He’ll have a long term nest egg of $1MM in his 30s, plus whatever retirement fund he has existing. Growth on that will be enough to fund a good retirement. No need to keep throwing more money into it past 401k
Posted by makersmark1
earth
Member since Oct 2011
20574 posts
Posted on 1/13/26 at 4:55 am to
quote:

Why even bother with this?


He’d build another pile that will be tax free when he withdraws it.

At a return of 7.2%, his monies will double every 10 years. With 4 decades of growth the initial 7000 with double 4 times. Each contribution would compound.

No income or capital gains tax on the Roth IRA- for him or any heirs.
This post was edited on 1/13/26 at 7:49 am
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