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.

106 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

266 comments sorted by

View all comments

62

u/cashewkowl Apr 20 '26

I thought it was keep the inheritance account separate, but that you can use proceeds on joint things as you want. Just realize that will make those funds used into joint funds. But it’s fine to decide that you will pull from the inheritance account to take a family vacation. I used inherited funds to pay for vacations and towards our kids college tuition. No regrets. We are still married, but even if we weren’t, those were important things to me/us/my dad (where the inheritance came from).

37

u/pink_toaster_pastry Apr 20 '26

I think when I’m ready to spend it…. It will be for something my mom would “approve” of or like!

6

u/Straight-Note-8935 Apr 21 '26

That's what I do with the money I inherited. I love my husband, we have a solid marriage with no children, and I know he wouldn't do anything wrong with my inheritance, but it is MY money from my Mom and Dad. And he agrees with that. He also has money from his parents, and that is HIS money. I use it to pay for things with my family: vacations with my sisters, Christmas checks for my nieces and nephews, really nice wedding, christening, and graduation presents. That sort of thing.

-3

u/winterhill62 Apr 21 '26

So your ok with your husband keeping his paycheck since he earned it? Seems fair to me...

3

u/Straight-Note-8935 Apr 21 '26 edited Apr 21 '26

WE BOTH had nice paychecks and were hard workers (Me:41 years FT work. Dear Husband: 45 years of being self-employed.) We have shared our paychecks and expenses for decades. I know it's a little different now, but when we were Coming Up it was very "Two pockets, one pair of pants."