Inheritance Planning and Tax-Smart Financial Decisions
Inheritance can bring a mix of emotions—and just as many questions. Between paperwork, inherited accounts, family conversations, and tax considerations, it can be hard to know what to do first.
By Erin OBrien


Inheritance can bring a mix of emotions—and just as many questions. Between paperwork, inherited accounts, family conversations, and tax considerations, it can be hard to know what to do first.
Thoughtful inheritance planning can help you understand what you received, consider your options, and make decisions that support your retirement income planning, tax strategy, and long-term legacy planning goals.
At Purposeful Money, I provide holistic financial planning for women over 50 and couples navigating important life transitions. Inheritance is about more than assets; it is an opportunity to make purpose-driven financial decisions for your retirement, family, and future.
My email course, Navigating Inheritance: A Tax-Smart Guide, provides a supportive, plain-English introduction to inherited assets, estate planning coordination, and tax planning for retirement. You can sign up here to receive the guide.
If you are looking for a fee-only fiduciary financial advisor in Naples, Florida—or virtual financial planning support nationwide— book a Learn More Call to see if Purposeful Money is right for you.
Found this useful? Pass it on.
About the author
Keep reading
Related articles
What Happens to Your Social Security When a Spouse Dies?
When a spouse dies, the surviving spouse does not keep both Social Security checks. Only the larger benefit survives. The smaller one is gone permanently. If one spouse collected $3,200 a month and the other $1,400, the survivor keeps the $3,200. Household income drops roughly 30%, but fixed expenses stay exactly the same. Two checks today does not mean two checks forever. That is the part worth planning around now.
If AI Stocks Fell 30%, Would You Still Retire Next Year?
A 30% drop in AI stocks the month after you retire could permanently damage your income plan, and the reason has less to do with the size of the loss than with its timing. Five mega-cap tech companies now represent roughly 30% of the S&P 500 index, according to Morningstar (September 2026), meaning many "diversified" portfolios carry far more concentrated AI and tech exposure than most investors realize. The greatest retirement threat is not the decline itself — it is being forced to sell deprec
Born in 1953? Your First RMD Is a Two-Year Decision
Turn 73 in 2026 and your first RMD can wait until April 1, 2027. Waiting stacks two RMDs on one return and can raise your 2029 Medicare premium.

