Financial Planning for Windfalls / Inheritance

Advice-Only Guidance for Life-Changing Financial Events

Receiving a large inheritance or windfall is rarely just a financial event. It is an emotional one. It brings a complex mix of gratitude, grief, and often a profound sense of anxiety.

When you are used to managing a household on a standard income, suddenly being in charge of a large sum is overwhelming. You have to make irreversible decisions that will impact the rest of your life. Worse, you often have to make them while navigating the loss of a loved one.

You do not need a salesperson looking for a quick commission. You need a thinking partner, a fiduciary, and an educator who can help you pause, breathe, and build a plan that is 100% in your best interest.

Sudden Wealth Brings Sudden Pressure

We find our clients in this situation are often paralyzed by the fear of "messing it up." They are looking for a trusted partner to navigate a landscape filled with new risks:

• The "Shark" Attack: A sudden windfall makes you a prime target for commission-based advisors. They often push high-fee mutual funds or complex insurance products that benefit their quota more than your future.

• Paralysis by Analysis: Should you pay off the mortgage? Quit your job? Gift money to the kids? The sheer volume of decisions can lead to freezing up entirely.

• Relationship Stress: You may be getting conflicting "advice" from family, friends, and bank tellers. It is often impossible to know who has the expertise to actually help.

• Tax Implications: An inheritance or estate settlement often comes with a maze of tax questions. You need a clear strategy to retain as much of the wealth as possible.

A Safe Harbor for Your Decision Making

At Mountainview Planning, we specialize in clear, unbiased, advice-only financial planning.

Because we sell no products and take no commissions, we have no incentive to "capture" your assets. We are paid only for our time and our advice. This allows us to act as a neutral third party who is solely focused on your protection.

Our "Sudden Wealth" Framework

We have developed a specific protocol for windfall clients that focuses on slowing down the process to ensure safety:

• The "Decision-Free Zone": Our first step is to help you secure the money in a safe, risk-free place so you can take a 6-month pause. We believe no major irrevocable decisions should be made under emotional duress.

• The Fiduciary Shield: We act as your professional filter. We review any proposals you have received from banks or investment firms. We teach you how to spot high fees and conflicts of interest so you can avoid bad products.

• Values-Based Design: Before we build a spreadsheet, we talk about your life. We help you define exactly what this money means to you and what legacy you want to create with it.

• The "Sleep Well" Portfolio: We design a long-term plan that answers your biggest questions. We show you exactly how to balance debt repayment, long-term growth, and family security in a way that lets you sleep at night.

This is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity.

We can help you turn this moment into a lifetime of security.