Sudden Money Managing a Financial Windfall [Hardcover]

From inheritances and divorce and insurance settlements to retirement payouts and the most recent phenomenon of stock options, the largest transfer of wealth in the history of America is now taking place. For some, this welcome event is relatively stress-free. But for those who are inexperienced in dealing with large sums of money, a windfall can be an overwhelming, even losing, situation. What is the difference between those who build on their financial gains and those who end up worse off than before? In this much-needed, one-of-a-kind book, top financial planner Susan Bradley gets to the heart of the matter by examining the emotional complexity of the windfall experience and how to manage it-and your newfound money-successfully.

Whatever the sum involved, the impact of one's emotional state on the way money is handled--or mishandled--cannot be underestimated. In addition to the legal intricacies of receiving sudden money, the element of surprise that catches people unprepared also often leaves them there. Here, at last, is a type of owner's manual to sudden money that demystifies the process for recipients and their financial planners. Based on her work with countless clients, many of whose stories appear in this book, Bradley has developed a step-by-step program for moving safely through the three phases of building a solid financial foundation:

• Preparation and Planning
• Investing
• Monitoring, Giving, and Sharing

Giving individual attention to each possible windfall event, Bradley addresses their distinct tax consequences, insurance and estate planning considerations, as well as the crucial emotional component. She also shares advice on how to put together the proper team of advisors, including an attorney and a therapist. When correctly handled, an unexpected windfall can provide expected benefits that will continue far beyond the lifetime of the il“%