Anonymous
01/01/2026 11:20
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
Anonymous wrote:I'm also in this situation and feel as you do OP. But no, we just live as though we won't get it, simply because if anything changes I don't want to wind up stuck. My parents have even told me stuff like "don't go a 529, there's no point" and we have one anyway. Anything could happen. I have a retirement plan based on inheriting nothing.
I do sometimes allow myself to think about what I would do if I got that windfall. But only once in a while,and I don't let it become part of a concrete plan.
As a side note the 529 is super annoying. I have an in law who claims they will “pay for college” but doesn’t seem to understand how much college costs and there is no evidence that they are fully funding a 529. meanwhile I don’t want to be left with the tax penalty of an unused 529 if I do pay for college. So I have to save the money just in case but in a different investment.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 11:13
Subject: Re:If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
I have parents + 2 childless aunts where I'd probably get an inheritance from each of $1-3mln. I don't count on it. While all are 75+ in age, they could live to their 90s.. or have long-term care needs that drains it.. or someone could find a partner and all their estate would go to them if they pass before the partner. You never know what will happen.
If I do get the inheritance, we'll splurge one one or two nice things like a fancy family trip or something. However, I predict I'll be in my 60s by then so that's about as "wild" as we'll get at that age I think.
If I do get the inheritance, we'll splurge one one or two nice things like a fancy family trip or something. However, I predict I'll be in my 60s by then so that's about as "wild" as we'll get at that age I think.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 11:00
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
Anonymous wrote:I'm also in this situation and feel as you do OP. But no, we just live as though we won't get it, simply because if anything changes I don't want to wind up stuck. My parents have even told me stuff like "don't go a 529, there's no point" and we have one anyway. Anything could happen. I have a retirement plan based on inheriting nothing.
I do sometimes allow myself to think about what I would do if I got that windfall. But only once in a while,and I don't let it become part of a concrete plan.
Exactly! Retirement should be based on real money in hand, not a potential inheritance. If you do get one as expected, that's gravy, but if you don't, you've planned accordingly.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 09:45
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
I would spend it at Gucci bags from Tysons Corner, a BBL and so many cool things like a new Range Rover! YOLO!
Anonymous
01/01/2026 09:39
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
Anonymous wrote:We will inherit significantly less, $2m, and yes, we are taking bigger family vacations (Europe rather than the beach for example). Because, I want to enjoy the time with my family and expose them to these opportunities. It is not at the expense of our/the kids future. Our kids are through college (we set aside enough in their 529s to cover that), our retirement is just fine for our lifestyle. We arent getting off alover the place all the time, but take one abroad vacation per year as a family. As long as our young-20s kids want to do this with us, and we can afford it, we're doing it. And, to be clear, even if the $2m were to suddenly disappear (one of the parents needs 24x7x365 live in care for a decade), we could still afford these trips without affecting our future or the kids future.
So what are you doing on this thread then!
Anonymous
01/01/2026 09:36
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
Vacations? No. It would go to broad index funds, rental real estate and private school tuition.
Grow it. Don’t blow it.
Grow it. Don’t blow it.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 09:34
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
Don’t do anything different, until you have that inheritance in your name
Lest me tell you a few scenarios.
One of your parents passed away and the other re married with a spouse who have a few children. You may not get any inheritance at all or your 6 mils will be spent on a lot that it become a small amount when your remaining parent passes, and it has to be divided 50% to the new spouse, the. Another remainders 50% will be divided amount all children. So you can that your six mil can quickly because nothing burger.
Don’t count on it. No matter how committed your parents said . You don’t know the future. They can always have a change of heart.
Lest me tell you a few scenarios.
One of your parents passed away and the other re married with a spouse who have a few children. You may not get any inheritance at all or your 6 mils will be spent on a lot that it become a small amount when your remaining parent passes, and it has to be divided 50% to the new spouse, the. Another remainders 50% will be divided amount all children. So you can that your six mil can quickly because nothing burger.
Don’t count on it. No matter how committed your parents said . You don’t know the future. They can always have a change of heart.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 09:30
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Unless this money is in trust for you specifically, you don't know whether 6M will still be there when they die, OP. Your parents might live to 90 and need very expensive end of life care. Nursing homes can be 20K a month.
We might inherit a few mil from our parents, but we're not including that in our budget.
That’s 25 years of $20k a month, plus money earns money.
Not saying everything will disappear, but still. It might not be invested well (nothing has done well in the stock market except the Magnificent Seven, for ex). They might fall prey to scammers when they decline.
It's just not reasonable to spend money you don't have, especially if you say you are earning enough for your family. More vacations? Odd. When your parents eventually pass, the money might come in more useful paying for a house for your children or contributing to your grandchildren's education.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 09:27
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
Anonymous wrote:Unless this money is in trust for you specifically, you don't know whether 6M will still be there when they die, OP. Your parents might live to 90 and need very expensive end of life care. Nursing homes can be 20K a month.
We might inherit a few mil from our parents, but we're not including that in our budget.
That’s 25 years of $20k a month, plus money earns money.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 09:23
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
I would not plan for this. Live in what you earn only. Your partners could live 20 more years and/or require expensive long-term care.
Do not count on this money.
Do not count on this money.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 09:22
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
No. But I would never not spend $$ on vacation because I’m not that cheap.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 09:21
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
Unless this money is in trust for you specifically, you don't know whether 6M will still be there when they die, OP. Your parents might live to 90 and need very expensive end of life care. Nursing homes can be 20K a month.
We might inherit a few mil from our parents, but we're not including that in our budget.
We might inherit a few mil from our parents, but we're not including that in our budget.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 09:16
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
Do I think it would change my life? No, for all the reasons stated, but I expect it would because I’d want to optimize family time. Id take more trips to more interesting places. I might expand our house so the space is more open plan and kids have their own bedrooms. I wouldn’t change cars.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 08:47
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
No, I am in a similar position and we do not take vacations that we can't currently afford. You never know what end of life needs may be and the stock market might crash or whatever. One thing I did do was a bunch of roth conversions as I believe much of the money is tied up in IRA's and you now have to take that distribution over 10 years. My spouse is also expecting a large pension and our own retirement is well funded, so it is likely still a favorable move long term even if the inheritance doesn't pan out.
Anonymous
01/01/2026 08:44
Subject: If you knew you would inherit $6M, would you do things different?
Nothing. I don't care about inheritance. Make your own money please.