Cash savings are always popular with people who want to put away a lump sum and earn interest over a long period of time. This can be a very good way to save for things, without taking on bigger levels of risk. Savings accounts are much safer, but how much interest you earn will come down to your bank's interest rate.
If you choose to invest a lump sum, don't just put it all in one stock. It's best to find a handful of individual stocks. If you don't want to take the time to do the research, consider buying a mutual fund or an ETF that gives you exposure to a large number of individual stocks.
Saving with a savings account
If your lump sum is a smaller amount or you would prefer to save your money towards certain priorities, a simple savings account might be the better option for you. Cash savings are always popular with people who want to put away a lump sum and earn interest over a long period of time.
Lump-sum investing means that you take all or a large portion of your investable cash and invest it all at once. A lump sum can be any “large” amount you're willing to invest, from an inheritance to a year-end bonus.
How much interest can $100,000 earn in a year? If you put $100,000 in CDs, high-yield savings or a money market account for a year, you could earn anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 based on current interest rates.
Invest $400 per month for 20 years
If you're earning a 10% average annual return and investing $400 per month, you'd be able to go from $100,000 to $1 million in savings in just over 20 years. Again, if your actual average returns are higher or lower than 10% per year, that will affect your timeline.
Gold is considered a hedge against inflation
Gold and other precious metals have long been considered a smart way to fight inflation. That's because it tends to hold its value and preserve your purchasing power over the long haul, despite fluctuations in the dollar.
$500,000 is a big inheritance. It could have a significant impact on a person's financial situation, depending on how it is managed and utilized. As you can see here, there are many complex, moving parts involving several financial disciplines.
"But given the cost of holding cash for extended periods, most investors—particularly those who don't have significant aversion to loss—should invest a lump sum immediately."
A Lump Sum investment into a 60/40 (stock/bond) portfolio has the same level of risk as Dollar Cost Averaging into the S&P 500 over 24 months, yet the Lump Sum investment is more likely to outperform!
That said, an inheritance of $100,000 or more is generally considered large.
Some choices include creating an emergency fund, paying off high-cost debt, building up retirement savings, saving for kids' educations and buying personal luxuries. While you won't owe taxes on inheritance, earnings from the funds are subject to income taxes.
A lump-sum investment is made at a point in time. The price you pay for the investment(s) may be high or low. If you invest when prices are high, you run the risk of incurring a loss if you need to sell in the near term.
You're more likely to end up with higher returns.
Lump-sum investing outperforms dollar cost averaging almost 75% of the time, according to data from Northwestern Mutual, regardless of asset allocation. If you're comfortable with risk, then investing your money in one large sum could yield better results.
Taking lump sums will affect your future contributions
If you think you might want to top up your pension pot in the future, for instance because you want to keep working part time, then you need to be aware that taking money out in lump sums could affect the amount you can pay in and receive tax relief on.
Savings accounts are a safe place to keep your money because all deposits made by consumers are guaranteed by the FDIC for bank accounts or the NCUA for credit union accounts. Certificates of deposit (CDs) issued by banks and credit unions also carry deposit insurance.