Looking for some financial advice...

[WyoBob]

I'd say talk to a number of different professionals: Insurance folks, bankers, personal investors.

And this would be the last thing I'd do. All of these entities make money off your money, a lot of times, without doing any work at all but collecting their commissions. No one has as much at stake in this inheritance as you.

An insurance agent will want to put you into annuities or whole or universal life. If you need life insurance, buy term.

Banker's? Look at the messes they've gotten themselves into over the last few years. When I was in the land/cattle business, I found banker's to be excellent contrarian indicator's, i.e. - do the opposite of what they advise. I also know of several very sad stories of people who's inheritance was completely wasted away buy a consortium of lawyer's and banker's and their fee's for "services rendered".

Personal Investor's? Like Bernie Madoff? Great line of work, though. They make guaranteed money on commissions or through management fees. Whether you make money or not is up for grabs.

The wealth you inherited accumulated over a long time. You don't have to be in a hurry to invest it. Put it somewhere safe and educate yourself to manage your own destiny. That could put you 1-5% or more ahead right off the bat. There are lots of resources out there. You will eventually want to open a discount brokerage. Schwab and Scottrade are a couple that I've done business with for quite a few years. Fidelity and Vanguard seem to have good reputations, as well. At least, when you call your own shots, you'll always know for sure who is responsible for your success.

WyoBob