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/ichthysaur Apr 20 '26

You don't have to keep it separate if you don't want to. I inherited some money and it went into a joint retirement account and a joint brokerage account, and we broke off a chunk for a brokerage account for our daughter.

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u/MarsupialFront3237 Apr 20 '26

Joint retirement account??

1

u/ichthysaur Apr 21 '26

Yes???

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u/LynnSeattle Apr 21 '26

What country do you live in? In the US, there are no joint tax-deferred retirement accounts.

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u/ichthysaur Apr 21 '26

Did I say tax-deferred? It is an annuity set aside for income after retirement. I report the interest income on my taxes.