Receiving an inheritance almost certainly entails adjusting to the loss of a beloved and cherished friend or family member.
Making decisions about both their estate and your windfall might be particularly challenging when you’re grieving a loss. Also, it is always important to get financial advice after an inheritance. Here are 12 things you should consider if you find yourself inheriting money as assistance.
1 Give it some time
There’s no need to make rapid decisions. In actuality, they ought to be avoided. Making potentially life-altering decisions while dealing with sorrow and accepting your loss is difficult enough. Only you can decide when it is appropriate to begin planning for your inheritance. Avoid anyone who tries to pressure you to make decisions right away. particularly if they stand to gain financially.
2. Is there an inheritance tax?
On larger estates, inheritance tax (IHT) may be due. Naturally, that will lower the amount that the recipients have available to them. The executors will determine whether any taxes are owed, perhaps doing it after consulting an expert. They will also arrange payment if it is.
3. Seek Advice If You Need It
You might wish to spend money on expert advice depending on the amount of money at stake and your level of experience with handling finances. A financial planner may assist you in deciding how to manage your money most effectively in the short term and in creating a long-term financial strategy that takes into account all of your assets and debts.
A financial adviser who costs you for their services rather than receiving fees for directing you toward specific assets would be a suitable choice in this situation. That setup aims to get rid of any potential conflicts of interest for the planner.
4. Pay Off Debts
Paying off debt, particularly high-interest debt like credit card or student loan debt is a good use of inherited funds. Debt with a lower interest rate, such as your home mortgage, is more discretionary. By all means, use the inheritance to pay off your mortgage if doing so would make you feel more secure. It’s also a reasonable—if the riskier—option to invest the money to earn a higher return than your mortgage is currently costing you.
5. If You Must Splurge, Don’t Go Crazy
We’ll save you the finger-pointing if you decide to use some of your inherited money to take care of yourself or your loved ones. Now the money is yours. But it’s important to keep in mind that when something is gone, it’s gone, whereas if you make wise investments, you can keep it for a long time. You might be able to one day leave it to your heirs.
6. Think about yourself
Those who inherit money are frequently tempted, in our experience, to make decisions based on what the person who gave them the money would have done. Without a question, most people are more careful when receiving an inheritance than they would be when receiving another form of windfall, like winning the lottery. However, the person who is leaving you the money would most likely want you to follow your moral convictions rather than base your choices on what they would have done. Be cautious, that makes sense, but when making decisions, focus on what’s best for you and your family rather than trying to guess what someone else would have done.
