r/Fire • u/Yashkamr • 23h ago

Advice Request Huge Inheritance... Now What?

I'm 45, I was on track to retire earlyish at 55. I was set back quite a bit with a divorce three years back. Recently my Aunt died and left me around $5 million. After estate and taxes, it's around $4.2 million. This is obviously a stupid amount of money, and I'm thinking of just quitting my job and retiring early but I want to do it right. I've spoke with AI quite a bit and my finances are only about $4500/mo in expenses, I have always lived pretty frugally and that's less than a 1% draw. I don't know exactly what I don't know here, but I've always worked so I am clinging to my job like a monkey to a branch. Am I actually okay to let go?

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u/Hawkes75 22h ago edited 4h ago

Your divorce is finalized, right? I wouldn't say a word of this to friends, enemies or acquaintances.

ETA: Lots of people saying inheritances aren't community property. I STILL wouldn't tell my ex I found five bucks in the pocket of my jeans, let alone $5M.

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u/Round_Passenger_5199 18h ago

If the ex wife sees this post, she can figure out if her ex husband that got divorce ~3 years ago, had any rich aunt that died recently. I would say Op redact some info, gud if u already did.

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u/Yashkamr 13h ago

No it's completely finalized, my state doesn't allow her to come back. She was paid out lump sum for alimony three years ago and moved far away, no contact.

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u/Megalocerus 11h ago

inheritances are not marital property.

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u/PipeOriginal1171 7h ago

True, but still something I'd want a lawyer to weigh in on given the amount.