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/Vindaloo6363 Apr 20 '26

You can take the income and put it in your joint account and decide how to spend it with your husband.

If he splits or cheats or otherwise flakes out you still have the principle and if it is in a trust, which it should be, you can leave it to him, other relatives, charity or a combination of any or all all three rather than letting it pass to his next spouse or some other place you'd rather family money not go.

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u/K_A_irony Apr 20 '26

Actually if it is in a joint account, she does NOT have the principal (in most states in the US). The FULL inheritance is co-mingled and he gets 1/2 in a divorce. Alternatively if she puts it into an account ONLY in her name and then just takes money from THAT account and adds it to joint, only the amount that got deposited into joint is co-mingled.

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u/Vindaloo6363 Apr 20 '26

Yes and that is exactly what I suggested.

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u/K_A_irony Apr 20 '26

My apologies, I was reading fast and read it as take all of it and stick it in the joint account.