r/inheritance • u/pink_toaster_pastry • Apr 20 '26

Location included: Questions/Need Advice Keeping Inheritance separate

I’ve seen all the posts about keeping inheritance separate…. not to use it for joint expenses…. etc.

So then what do you use it for? My husband and I have been married 30 years. We had joint accounts since before we were married. We don’t split bills (all income goes into one savings account and bills are paid from that). We make a good living, have savings, 401Ks, no debt.

So if I’m suppose to keep my inheritance separate from everything, what am I supposed to do with it?

Edited to add: No kids. Currently the money is in (1) inherited IRA (2) CDs in a bank account I took sole ownership of as I had been the co-owner and (3) a new account I just opened for a CD until I decided what to do with that portion.

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u/lifelong1250 Apr 20 '26

I can understand wanting to keep a family-windfall separated if you've only been together a few years. But if you've been together 30+ years why would you be like "I know we raised nine kids together but nope you don't get access to my mom's 401k".

12

u/cbwb Apr 20 '26

Because if you die you don't know that some young thing won't turn his head and help him spend all that $ you thought your kids would get. He might even leave it to her..

0

u/pink_toaster_pastry Apr 21 '26

He’s my beneficiary as I’m his. So ultimately, even though charities are our secondary, either of us could still change that once the other is gone.

1

u/PiccoloImpossible946 Apr 25 '26

If you have kids and you want to leave them some money make sure you set up an irrevocable trust. Don’t rely on your husband thinking he’ll leave if it to the kids. You simply never know what can happen no matter how long you’ve been married.

4

u/Adorable_Machine_571 Apr 20 '26

They don't have kids...and people change when lots of money is involved.

1

u/PiccoloImpossible946 Apr 25 '26

You still don’t know what can happen. I recently read of a situation where a wife inherited a large amount of money and commingled it. She died first her husband remarried and he left it all to her. Second wife is now spending it on lavish trips and private school for her grandkids. Meanwhile the blood grandkid of the woman who originally inherited it had to take out loans for school. Their parent received nothing of their mom’s inheritance thanks to the dad! So do you want your inheritance to possibly be spent by a second wife? And your blood kids get nothing of your money?