re: How to invest?

quote:

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MT: need some advice.

My mom is getting $250,000. All of her debts are paid. House, cars, credit cards, everything. She’s a 65 year old widow & is taking in around $10,000 per month. So, she doesn’t need the money to live. How would you invest it? She wants to use some of it for her grandkids education down the road but doesn’t want to lock it into a 529...just looking for some different ideas to suggest to her.

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First recommendation is for her to find a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) and have a comprehensive financial plan done. Far too few facts listed here for an appropriate recommendation. It may cost $1,500 - $3,000 depending on who she works with, but they will sift through her every financial detail and make sure she structures her finances, including investments, appropriately. With $250k on the line, a one-time fee like that is not very expensive.

A competent advisor that is legally considered a fiduciary should also ask appropriate questions about the amount of risk she should be taking, but certainly not as in depth as a CFP(R) would.

Full disclosure, I am a CFP(R) and would never make a recommendation on that paragraph alone. Yes - it appears she can be more aggressive than most 65 year olds, but there are far too many other questions I would ask before actually making that recommendation.