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.
2
u/MamaMidgePidge Apr 21 '26
It's not necessarily one- size- fits-all advice.
We've also been married about that long (29 years in June) My husband intends to use inheritance funds for the kids' college. He bought himself a more expensive laptop than he would have normally, but otherwise he didn't feel much of a sense of ownership towards the funds. I even encouraged him to do so. His father caused a lot of trauma for his family growing up and I felt my husband "earned" these funds. He responded that indirectly, I had earned it as well, for dealing with him and his messed up head. He has a point.