Wisely using your jackpot

A sudden windfall can be a huge relief for your financial well-being. Whether this be a payout from a lawsuit, an insurance payment, bonus from work, or inheritance, it can always be of use. However, at the very same time, such a jackpot can be quite overwhelming.

If you are only used to saving all the time, it might seem tempting to have a sudden spending fee. This would, of course, not be advisable. Some spending is certainly permissible, sure, you should not always be in saving mode and should be able to relax. However, if you are not careful, you may end up spending more than you may think, and you will end up where you were. After all, there are plenty of stories out there of lottery winners losing all of their money, either through neglect or overspending.

Additionally, saving a large amount of money can be quite a different task to saving a small amount of money. You don’t want to make any mistakes, as this kind of opportunity may only come once in a lifetime. Therefore, if you are struggling and worrying about how to handle your turn of fortune, we would like to offer you some advice.

Keeping your jackpot safe

Once you receive the funds of this new jackpot, your first priority is to find somewhere to store it. You want to find somewhere safe and not too easily accessible, so you will not be tempted to withdraw at a whim. One of your primary and most obvious options is depositing the money in a savings account. This has the benefit of keeping your money quite safe, but also adding interest to your sum. Every savings account differs on a case by case basis, so you will have to check the specifics for any account you want.

If you really are pressed for time and do not know where to place it, money markets can also be a good option for you. These are funds that tend to make very conservative and careful decisions, to ensure no losses occur. They also make small profits, generally near the national interest rate. In this way, you can be certain that your jackpot will stay relatively safe.

Take some time

In the meanwhile, what you want to do is take some time. This jackpot has bought it for you, after all. You do not have to immediately go bounding towards action. Emotions can run high when such events take place in your life. Keep calm, do not let your emotions guide you, and find out what all your options are. Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of each are and decide which is best for you. Once you feel you have sufficiently emotionally distanced yourself from the money and know what to do with it, you can start acting.

Hire some help

A financial advisor is exactly the type of person who can help you in this situation. They can tell you what it is important to prioritise, and how to do it. You can hire separate professionals for separate needs if you really feel the necessity. This could be a tax professional, CPA (Certified Public Accountant), etc. You will especially need someone to help you with your taxes, as your situation will have changed considerably. Taxes can, after all, be quite complicated. This, of course, depends on the type of your earnings. They could be completely tax-free, or they may not and you may unknowingly break the law. This makes hiring an advisor absolutely essential. They can help identify whether you do have to pay for your jackpot, and what to do with it. In short, they can help you figure out how to be efficient with your spending.

Use the jackpot to pay off some debts

The longer you wait around to pay your debts, the more they will cost you. Interest rates can have a huge effect. This is why using some of these funds to pay off essential debts can be of huge service to you. These could be credit card debts, mortgages, anything that is feasibly payable. This is doubly true of any loan that comes with high-interest rates.

Investment opportunities

Now would be the optimal time to decide just how you want to make your investments. You can diversify into relatively safe bets, like index funds, or find some more traditional funds to put your money towards. Retirement funds are another must. Not only can you put money towards your retirement, you can also help relieve some of the weight from your taxes.

Put you jackpot aside for future use

Your newfound fortune could have a few uses when in safekeeping. You can use it in an emergency fund for a rainy day. You cannot always control what will happen to you and keep some funds aside just in case is of utmost importance. This could be medical bills, car accidents, being stolen from, it would be best to defend against all of them. You can also put some money aside for possible future events, such as money for college, for a future wedding. Anything that could feasibly cost you a pretty penny. You may not even know what opportunity presents itself or what you will want in the future, whether this be for business or travel.

Conclusion

Using such a large sum, a jackpot as we have called it in this article can be tough. The opportunities seem limitless and it can be quite tempting to use it all while you can. However, in all reality, you have all the time in the world. If you put aside your emotions for a while, you can ensure a stable future for yourself. With the aid of some sound advice, you can ensure of you pay off debts, have a comfortable retirement, and have money for future opportunities. This is the sort of opportunity you should not be careless with, as they are rare and can save you a lot of headache in the future.