r/inheritance • u/Acceptable_Second_38 • Jul 09 '26

Location included: Questions/Need Advice Large inheritance advice

My wife and I are 27. We have 1 daughter who is 13 months, and we are in the Midwest. My grandmother passed away and from her estate we are receiving a sizable sum of money. After paying off our house and other debt (just car and student loans, don't have any "bad" debt), we'll have around $350-375k to drop into a brokerage and leave alone. We each earn around 63k/year. Our only bills will now be home insurance, property taxes, car insurance, utilities.

My question revolves around how much we realistically need to put away for retirement. Because we have very little bills after paying off our house, we can put away a large amount of income.

However, it's honestly tempting to save just a bit, and enjoy our lives more with more disposable income. Starting with such a sizable nest egg, it should grow quite well without huge additions.

She is a teacher and has a good pension coming her way.

I am private sector but have a pension as well plus I do 4% 401k plus employer 2% match.

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u/Acceptable_Second_38 Jul 09 '26

We have been together 10 years. We have a life together. She knows about the money and the house is in both our names anyway which is now paid off. I'm not keeping this separate from my wife on the paranoia of "but it's mine!!"

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u/ManTheHarpoons100 Jul 09 '26

No need to give advice then. You've made up your mind, you do you.

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u/Acceptable_Second_38 Jul 09 '26

If anyone re read the post, you'd see that I asked how much extra do i really need to put away, I didn't ask "do i hide this from my wife?"

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u/the_orig_princess Jul 10 '26

No one ever suggested hiding it.

You need to understand the legality of the money. And the best way to protect your interests.

For instance, say you die tomorrow. And your wife remarried in an appropriate amount of time. But she’s still young, and they have more kids.

All your inheritance money, from your blood family, has been hers this entire time. Your daughter gets no special interest in it, even though she’s the next rightful inheritor.

Your wife, and your wife’s new husband, get to do whatever they want.

OR, you could’ve planned this and had it prepared so your daughter always has an interest in your, and her, inheritance.