What To Do If You Have 1 Million To Invest - Our 2023 Guide (2024)

Is a million dollars a lot of money?

What To Do If You Have 1 Million To Invest - Our 2023 Guide (1)

Having savings of one million dollars is an important milestone. But this does not necessarily mean you are rich. When it comes to determining the health of your wealth, the answer is never black and white.

Your net worth may be at one million dollars, 10 million dollars – or more – but consider these questions before you classify yourself as wealthy. Though numbers never lie, when it comes to personal wealth you need to know the variables: your overhead, your lifestyle, personal capital, and your stage of life. These will inform the best way to invest your one million dollars.

These considerations are not the same for any two people. Where to invest one million dollars will vary depending on lifestyle and income. If you are reading this and have one million dollars of your own money to invest, you should definitely be pleased. It isn’t everyone who can reach such a savings milestone!

Are you rich if you have 1 million dollars? Well, it depends.

Where do you live? What is your lifestyle?

High Income and High Expenses

Meet Paul. He’s a guy who swore he’d move to a big city and practice law. When most people were still figuring out how to make ends meet, Paul would be posting photos of his gourmet dinners and his designer condo in New York City. To everyone, it looked like he had the world on a string – but you’d be mistaken if you thought that.

That apartment in the city cost Paul $7,500 a month – before utilities. His fancy dinners and hip clothing set him back at least $3,000 a month, and his career as a lawyer, working 70 hours a week in order to become a partner, showed up as stress-induced sleepless nights and weight gain. His salary was $130,000 a year, but he was nowhere near wealthy.

Moderate Income and Low Expenses

In the meantime, Andrea was living in a low-rent apartment, paying well under $1,000 a month and going out once a week for dinners that usually cost about $50, tops. Because she worked in real estate, Andrea was not stuck all day in a boardroom, eating greasy take-out while sitting in on daily, non-stop meetings.

Andrea was always on the move and excited to meet new clients and expand their horizons and hers. In order to keep up her energy, she got up by 6 AM and worked out most days. Her salary was commission-based and about $50,000 a year.

Where Can They Lead You?

Fast forward ten years and Paul is still renting in New York City because he doesn’t have the time or cash to purchase a one-bedroom NYC apartment, which costs about $1.5 million. After a decade of endless work and expensive habits, he has about $60,000 in savings along with a terrible cholesterol problem.

Andrea, however, has kept her lifestyle simple and has slightly above one million dollars in savings. After learning how to invest one million dollars in real estate investment properties, she purchased a simple, affordable home, boasting low taxes in an up-and-coming neighborhood. Due to her healthy lifestyle, she is ten years older but in the best shape of her life.

So, yes, if you ponder where and how you live, sometimes you can consider yourself wealthy if you have one million dollars. But if you live beyond your means and have no investments that grow your savings, you are most definitely not wealthy! As always, living a healthy lifestyle that extends your life for many active years is the best benefit of all!

Once you hit your milestone of having one million dollars to spare, here are some options and expected payouts to consider on your journey to financial freedom.

How Much Interest Can one Million Dollars Earn Per Year?

What To Do If You Have 1 Million To Invest - Our 2023 Guide (2)

A $1 million investment can earn interest from $33,000 per year invested in US Treasury bonds to around $1.2 million invested in real estate after a ten-year investment term. If you want to know how to earn a million dollars to live off the interest, it all depends on where you invest your money.

There are many roads that will lead you to earn different rates of interest or profits when you invest your 1 million dollars. Before you roll the dice with your money, it’s better to make sure you’re not too averse to risk since your potential profits will vary tremendously.

As you will see from the list below, the stand-out method to grow your million dollars is investing it in real estate. There is never a 100 percent sure winner in any investment, but real estate, time and time again, is a sure-fire way to grow your 1 million dollars because you actually have assets you can rent or sell if necessary.

Where to Invest a Million Dollars

US Year Treasury Bonds

Investing in US Treasury bonds could currently earn you up to $33k per year. However, this investment is not protected against inflation so interest earned will shift with economic changes over the term of your investment. You may not be earning as much as you think.

With a fluctuating US Treasury Bond rate of up to 3.33%, your one million dollar investment will reap $33,300 a year. If it sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is!

Your $33,330 is not adjusted for inflation, which will grow at least 3 percent, so in 30 years your payout will be worth only about $13,590, and your $1 million principal will have dwindled down to about $412,000.

Unless you are very young and looking to park your extra 1 million somewhere, we don’t recommend this investment at this time.

Dividend Stocks

Investing in the stock market is a high-risk and high-reward game. It adds great diversification to your portfolio but it’s better to invest in the long term if you want to achieve maximum returns.

Dividend stocks are popular, and many people invest in them. Their volatility makes them a good choice for those with higher risk tolerance, but if you do your homework, you can benefit from this type of investment.

There are many dividend stocks you can purchase, and currently some yield about 2.11 percent. It’s low, and of course, it is in no way guaranteed by the FDIC.

One downside is that dividend stocks can fall at any time, and companies can always just suspend dividends.

But in order to greatly enhance your one million dollars, taking some risk with dividend stocks can be exciting and extremely profitable. Just remember this one caveat: you must think long term.

You will experience some ups and downs along the way, but overall, if you are patient, your dividend stock should add a healthy profit to your investment of one million dollars.

Here’s a case in point: NerdWallet’s investment calculator shows a $5,000 investment that grows at 6% annually for 20 years, and could grow to over $16,000. Bump that up to 8% growth to include dividends, and that $5,000 could grow to over $24,000.

CD for a 5-Year Term

What To Do If You Have 1 Million To Invest - Our 2023 Guide (3)

Certificates of deposit earn you a higher interest rate the longer you sign on. Historically they were a greater investment strategy than they are today. CD rates are currently between 0.10 percent to 0.80 percent.

Once upon a time in the fiscal world during the 1980s, CD rates were booming, offering whopping rates of up to 18.65 percent. This was a magical time, but alas, those days are long gone.

In March 2020, the Federal Reserve lowered the range for the federal funds rate to 0-0.25 percent as a means to stimulate US economic growth. Unfortunately, this created a widespread lowering of interest rates on deposit accounts, including CDs.

Currently, CD rates are exceptionally low, from about 0.10 percent to a high of 0.80 percent. By the time you take your interest, you will be losing money due to inflation!

This is not an option you should consider.

Investing in Real Estate

A real estate investment is the best way to earn high interest on your investment. Depending on the type of real estate and the market you invest in, you could earn $1.2 million or more over a ten-year investment term.

Billionaire Andrew Carnegie once wisely said that 90 percent of all millionaires made their profits by buying real estate. Every year, real estate tends to be a very healthy source of profits for anyone looking to turn their investments into a growth-churning machine.

Commercial Real Estate

Owning a commercial property for the long term can bring in profitable income year after year. As your asset, the actual property grows in value, and, not only do you get tax write-offs, but you also enjoy the annual income from renting out the properties.

For example, a $1 million investment in multifamily properties could earn you $195k annually from rental income. That’s not to mention your tax savings!

Upscale Residential Properties

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If you want to know how to invest one million dollars for income, look no further than high-end rentals!

Investing your $1 million in upscale residential properties is your best bet for reaping high annual profits since you will see the valuations of your high-end assets go up as your tenants are more than willing to pay a premium to live in splendor!

Another financial benefit to opening real estate is that you don’t tie up your money as you would with other investments. With the low-interest rates sweeping the market right now, investing your 1 million in real estate is the winner by far in how to grow your $1 million in the most robust manner.

Lastly, people will always need a place to live. Just like taxes, having a place you call home is a necessity of life. Investing in real estate can be a major boon for your nest egg!

What To Do If You Have 1 Million To Invest - Our 2023 Guide (2024)

FAQs

What To Do If You Have 1 Million To Invest - Our 2023 Guide? ›

Bank Savings Accounts

As noted above, the average rate on savings accounts as of February 3rd 2021, is 0.05% APY. A million-dollar deposit with that APY would generate $500 of interest after one year ($1,000,000 X 0.0005 = $500).

How to properly invest $1 million dollars? ›

Ways To Invest 1 Million Dollars.
  1. Stock Market. Stocks are a good investment choice as they usually generate returns through dividends and growth in share prices. ...
  2. Bonds. ...
  3. Rental Properties. ...
  4. ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) ...
  5. Start or buy into a business. ...
  6. Peer-to-Peer Lending. ...
  7. CDs and Money Market Accounts. ...
  8. Fixed Rate Annuities.

How much interest does $1 million dollars earn per year? ›

Bank Savings Accounts

As noted above, the average rate on savings accounts as of February 3rd 2021, is 0.05% APY. A million-dollar deposit with that APY would generate $500 of interest after one year ($1,000,000 X 0.0005 = $500).

How much can you make if you invest $1 million? ›

The historical S&P average annualized returns have been 9.2%. So investing $1,000,000 in the stock market will get you the equivalent of $96,352 in interest in a year. This is enough to live on for most people. Of course, this is just a theory based on the long term average S&P returns.

How to grow money in 2023? ›

Overview: Best investments in 2023
  1. High-yield savings accounts. Overview: A high-yield online savings account pays you interest on your cash balance. ...
  2. Short-term certificates of deposit. ...
  3. Series I bonds. ...
  4. Short-term corporate bond funds. ...
  5. Dividend stock funds. ...
  6. Value stock funds. ...
  7. REIT index funds. ...
  8. S&P 500 index funds.
May 1, 2023

What is the smartest thing to do with a million dollars? ›

Pay off debt

With a million dollars, you could do a lot of things, but one of the smartest is to pay off your debts. Your credit card debt, student loans, and mortgage could all be completely paid off, along with any other debts you owe.

Can I live off the interest of 1 million dollars? ›

Once you have $1 million in assets, you can look seriously at living entirely off the returns of a portfolio. After all, the S&P 500 alone averages 10% returns per year. Setting aside taxes and down-year investment portfolio management, a $1 million index fund could provide $100,000 annually.

How much will $1 m be worth in 10 years? ›

In order to hit your goal of $1 million in 10 years, SmartAsset's savings calculator estimates that you would need to save around $7,900 per month. This is if you're just putting your money into a high-yield savings account with an average annual percentage yield (APY) of 1.10%.

Can you live off the interest of 2 million dollars? ›

Can you live off of $2 million in assets? The answer is yes, if you manage your investment portfolio smartly. One common option is to invest $2 million in an index fund. But you will still need to make absolutely sure that you have a rainy day fund since the market can be reliable over decades but fickle over years.

How much money do you need to live off interest? ›

For an interest-only retirement, you'll need to have a large nest egg. How big a nest egg depends on your target income and the interest rate. For example, an annual income of $48,000 would require a nest egg of $1.6 million, assuming a 3% interest rate. And that's not even accounting for inflation.

Can you retire with $1 million in cash? ›

Will $1 million still be enough to have a comfortable retirement then? It's definitely possible, but there are several factors to consider—including cost of living, the taxes you'll owe on your withdrawals, and how you want to live in retirement—when thinking about how much money you'll need to retire in the future.

Are you rich if your net worth is $1 million? ›

A net-worth millionaire is someone who has a net worth of at least $1,000,000. Net worth is a fancy way to say 'what you own minus what you owe. ' If that amount ends up being $1,000,000+, you're a net-worth millionaire."

Where is the safest place to put $1 million dollars? ›

The Best Ways to Invest $1 Million Dollars Right Now
  1. Invest in the Stock Market. ...
  2. Invest in Bonds. ...
  3. Invest in ETFs. ...
  4. Invest With a Robo Advisor. ...
  5. Private Lending or P2P Lending. ...
  6. Invest in a Business. ...
  7. Invest in Rental Properties. ...
  8. Invest in Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

What is considered wealthy in 2023? ›

You might need $5 million to $10 million to qualify as having a very high net worth while it may take $30 million or more to be considered ultra-high net worth. That's how financial advisors typically view wealth.

Is it good idea to invest in 2023? ›

The longer an investment window you give yourself, the more wealth you might gain over time. It's a smart idea to invest extra cash in 2023 if you're managing your bills well. Before you invest, make sure you have money set aside for emergencies and eliminate high-interest debt.

What to buy in 2023 recession? ›

The best recession stocks include consumer staples, utilities and healthcare companies, all of which produce goods and services that consumers can't do without, no matter how bad the economy gets.

How to turn $1 million into $2 million? ›

To go from $1 million to $2 million likewise requires 100% growth, but the next million after that requires only 50% growth (and then 33% and so on).

How can I double my money without risk? ›

5 Ways to Double Your Money
  1. Take Advantage of 401(k) Matching.
  2. Invest in Value and Growth Stocks.
  3. Increase Your Contributions.
  4. Consider Alternative Investments.
  5. Be Patient.
Nov 1, 2022

What is the average age to make your first million? ›

The average millionaire is 57 years old.

This is because it takes smart financial decisions, hard work, and wise investments to become a millionaire, most of which don't fully pay off until around the age of 50 or 60.

How much monthly income will 1 million generate? ›

A $1,000,000 annuity would pay you approximately $5,677 each month for the rest of your life if you purchased the annuity at age 60 and began taking payments immediately.

Can I retire at 60 with $1 million dollars? ›

So, can you retire at 60 with $1 million, and what would that look like? It's certainly possible to retire comfortably in this scenario. But it's wise to review your spending needs, taxes, health care, and other factors as you prepare for your retirement years.

How long will $1 million last in retirement? ›

Most Americans could retire with $1 million in savings. That nest egg would last most people around 20 years, which means that people who retire at 65 could live on $1 million until they're about 85. But of course, you're not the average American—you're you!

How much will $1 million dollars be worth in 2030? ›

Prediction: Value of $1,000,000 from 2022 to 2030

The dollar had an average inflation rate of 3.08% per year between 2022 and 2030, producing a cumulative price increase of 27.49%. The buying power of $1,000,000 in 2022 is predicted to be equivalent to $1,274,870.28 in 2030.

How many people have $3,000,000 in savings? ›

1,821,745 Households in the United States Have Investment Portfolios Worth $3,000,000 or More.

How much more do I need to make to keep up with inflation? ›

The obvious solution is to ask for a pay raise of 6.5% or so to at least stay even with inflation, but that's not always the best strategy, experts say.

Can you retire $1.5 million comfortably? ›

Yes, you can retire at 60 with $1.5 million. At age 60, an annuity will provide a guaranteed income of $91,500 annually, starting immediately for the rest of the insured's lifetime.

Can a couple retire at 55 with $2 million dollars? ›

It probably is possible for most people to retire at age 55 if they have $2.5 million in savings. The ultimate answer, though, will depend on the interplay between various factors. These include your health, your anticipated retirement lifestyle and expenses, and how you invest your nest egg.

Can I retire at 45 with $3 million dollars? ›

You can probably retire in financial comfort at age 45 if you have $3 million in savings. Although it's much younger than most people retire, that much money can likely generate adequate income for as long as you live.

Can 1 million dollars last a lifetime? ›

Assuming you will need $40,000 per year to cover your basic living expenses, your $1 million would last for 25 years if there was no inflation. However, if inflation averaged 3% per year, your $1 million would only last for 20 years.

How much does the average 70 year old have in savings? ›

How Much Does the Average 70-Year-Old Have in Savings? According to data from the Federal Reserve's most recent Survey of Consumer Finances, the average 65 to 74-year-old has a little over $426,000 saved. That's money that's specifically set aside in retirement accounts, including 401(k) plans and IRAs.

Is 1.5 million enough to retire at 55? ›

If you have $1.5 million saved up and want to retire at 55, this may be enough for you. The reality is that it all depends on your withdrawal rate — the amount of money you consistently take out of your accounts to support yourself — and how long you live. A reasonable withdrawal rate, for instance, is 4%.

What is the average 401k balance for a 65 year old? ›

To help you maximize your retirement dollars, the 401(k) is an employer-sponsored plan that allows you to save for retirement in a tax-sheltered way. You can contribute up to $22,500 in 2023.
...
The average 401(k) balance by age.
AgeAverage 401(k) balanceMedian 401(k) balance
55-60$199,743$55,464
60-65$198,194$53,300
65-70$185,858$43,152
6 more rows

Can I retire at age 50 with $1 million dollars? ›

Retiring on $1 million at 50 will depend on longevity, health costs, lifestyle, retirement income, inflation and other factors. Here are different scenarios. So if you're entranced by the idea of retiring early, you might be running through various scenarios.

What is a good monthly retirement income? ›

According to data from the BLS, average incomes in 2021 after taxes were as follows for older households: 65-74 years: $59,872 per year or $4,989 per month. 75 and older: $43,217 per year or $3,601 per month.

How many Americans have a net worth over $1000000? ›

Here's how many people the United States has in each major wealth classification: 5.3 million millionaires with a net worth of at least $1 million. 9,630 centi-millionaires with a net worth of at least $100 million. 770 billionaires with a net worth of at least $1 billion.

What net worth is considered upper class? ›

That's how financial advisors typically view wealth. The average American, on the other hand, sees $774,000 as a sufficient net worth to be financially comfortable and a net worth of $2.2 million to be wealthy, according to Schwab.

How much money is considered upper class? ›

$156,600

Where do millionaires keep their savings? ›

Cash equivalents are financial instruments that are almost as liquid as cash and are popular investments for millionaires. Examples of cash equivalents are money market mutual funds, certificates of deposit, commercial paper and Treasury bills. Some millionaires keep their cash in Treasury bills.

What percentage of US population has $1 million dollars in savings? ›

Between 10-16% of American households have $1 million or more in retirement savings. If you define savings more broadly to include a household's net worth, the number rises closer to 20%, whereas if you limit it to individuals with $1 million+ in retirement accounts, the rate drops to 10%.

Can you keep millions of dollars in the bank? ›

Can You Keep Millions in the Bank? Keeping large amounts of money in a bank can be tricky, but it is possible. There are limits to the amount of money that is insured for each depositor at a bank — up to $250,000 per depositor with the FDIC — so the super wealthy often spread out their accounts over multiple banks.

What salary is upper middle class? ›

Many have graduate degrees with educational attainment serving as the main distinguishing feature of this class. Household incomes commonly exceed $100,000, with some smaller one-income earners household having incomes in the high 5-figure range.

At what age does the average American become a millionaire? ›

This is according to a study conducted by Ramsey Solutions, which is the largest study of millionaires to date. The average age of a millionaire is 49 years old, which means it takes them over 27 years of saving and investing to reach this status. This may seem daunting, but the truth is, it's never too late to start.

What is a good wealth by age? ›

Mean and median net worth by age (2019)
Age GroupMean Net WorthMedian Net Worth
Less than 35$76,300$13,900
35-44$436,200$91,300
45-54$833,200$168,600
55-64$1,175,900$212,500
2 more rows
Nov 30, 2022

What is the safest investment with the highest return? ›

High-quality bonds and fixed-indexed annuities are often considered the safest investments with the highest returns. However, there are many different types of bond funds and annuities, each with risks and rewards. For example, government bonds are generally more stable than corporate bonds based on past performance.

What is the best performing asset in 2023? ›

Goldman Sachs Finds Bitcoin Tops Gold, S&P 500, And Nasdaq As The Best-Performing Asset Of 2023.

Which stock will boom in 2023? ›

Performance of the top 5 stocks of 2023
Stock SymbolMarket Price Rs1-year Returns (%)
M&M1,172.0041.54
BRITANNIA4,301.8533.84
NTPC177.9024.38
HINDUNILVR2,535.0022.04
6 more rows
Apr 10, 2023

What will 2023 look like financially? ›

For 2023 as a whole, real GDP (that is, GDP adjusted to remove the effects of inflation) is projected to grow by just 0.1 percent. The growth of real GDP is projected to speed up thereafter, averaging 2.4 percent a year from 2024 to 2027, in response to declines in interest rates.

What is the best stock to invest in 2023? ›

Best S&P 500 stocks as of May 2023
Company and ticker symbolPerformance in 2023
Meta Platforms (META)99.7%
NVIDIA (NVDA)89.9%
Align Technology (ALGN)54.2%
West Pharmaceutical Systems (WST)53.5%
6 more rows
May 1, 2023

What is the monthly interest on $1000000? ›

On a monthly basis, this means that the interest income on $1 million would be $4,167. This works out to $962 of interest per week, or $137 of interest per day. Interestingly enough, because the yield curve is currently inverted, you can get a high interest rate even on shorter-term CDs.

How to turn $100 K into $1 million in 5 years? ›

Consider investing in rental properties or real estate investment trusts (REIT). The real estate market is a fertile setting for a $100k investment to yield $1 million. And it's possible for this to happen between 5 to 10 years. You can achieve this if you continue to add new properties to your portfolio.

Am I millionaire if I have $1 million in assets? ›

Someone is considered a millionaire when their net worth, or their assets minus their liabilities, totals $1 million or more.

What percentage of people have $1 million at retirement? ›

Notably, stashing away $1 million or more in a 401(k) plan is rare. Only about 1.4% of 401(k) accounts at the financial services firm had more than $1 million in assets at the end of 2022, according to Fidelity data.

At what age should you have $1 million in retirement? ›

A recent analysis determined that a $1 million retirement nest egg may only last about 20 years depending on what state you live in. Based on this, if you retire at age 65 and live until you turn 84, $1 million will probably be enough retirement savings for you.

How much is a mortgage on a 1 million dollar house? ›

Generally speaking, on a 30-year mortgage with 20% down, you can expect to pay around $4,500 in monthly mortgage payments on a million-dollar home.

What will a million dollars be worth in 30 years? ›

Based upon the numbers above, you will be a millionaire in 30 years. If you start today, that means you'll reach your goal in before-inflation terms in 2053. Your million dollar savings will be worth $411,987 in todays' dollars (inflation adjusted) at that time.

Can $1 million last 30 years? ›

Assuming you will need $40,000 per year to cover your basic living expenses, your $1 million would last for 25 years if there was no inflation. However, if inflation averaged 3% per year, your $1 million would only last for 20 years.

Is it possible to save 1 million dollars in 5 years? ›

The number might seem impossible, but you can accomplish it. To save $1 million in five years, you will have to calculate how much you will need to save and which investments can help you reach that goal. Use the tips below to start your journey toward $1 million.

How much money is considered extremely wealthy? ›

You might need $5 million to $10 million to qualify as having a very high net worth while it may take $30 million or more to be considered ultra-high net worth. That's how financial advisors typically view wealth.

Are you considered a millionaire by net worth? ›

A millionaire is somebody with a net worth of one million dollars. It's a simple math formula based on your net worth. When what you own (your assets) minus what you owe (your liabilities) equals more than a million dollars, you're a millionaire.

Is being a millionaire based on net worth or cash? ›

A net-worth millionaire is someone who has a net worth of at least $1,000,000. Net worth is a fancy way to say 'what you own minus what you owe. ' If that amount ends up being $1,000,000+, you're a net-worth millionaire." These definitions have distinct differences that affect real wealth calculations.

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