[DavidC]

Keep your expenses low, live off the money, and learn to play poker such that you can make more than 25k/a? Do same, but go to university?

I don't think that investing this money is going to be of great benefit to you, as you won't be able to live off the interest, and $25k/a isn't a ton of money, even if you get "bonus interest" on your 100k.

As far as what to do with the money that you're not spending...

Because this is something that you're probably going to want to draw on in the near future, keep it in safe, predictable investments. Things like GICs are good. It doesn't even matter if they don't beat inflation. All that matters is that the money is still there when you want to withdraw it.

Keep in mind that the difference between an investment at 10% and an investment at 3% is only $7000 on 100k, but that you're guaranteed to have that money there.

I'm Canadian, so a Canada Savings Bond would be my first investment choice. I'm not sure what you have equivalent to that in the states, I think T-Bills...

An important thing to remember, if you're going to go to an investment professional about this, is that they make commissions based on what they sell you and on how often they make transactions with your money. They're going to want to "churn" your assets such that their % commission increases (1% if they make one purchase, 3% if they make a purchase, make a sale, and repurchase something else). Additionally, they're going to want to promote products that their company sells, rather than the best in the field.

I think I speak for all of us when I say that I wish I had your dilema (not considering how you came into the money).

Take care, and good luck dealing with the cash.

Just don't spend it all on coke or something. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Edit: The other posts about reducing debt are good, and probably about buying property (though I don't know a damn thing about that). However, keep in mind that property fluctuates in value and is not liquid, so if you don't know where you want to live, I think my advice still stands, so that you DO have the cash when you want to buy property.