What to Do With $100k (8 Ideas) (2024)

If you've saved or come into $100,000, you're well ahead of most immigrants in the United States. Almost three-quarters of Americans don't have $1,000 saved, which means they can't get through a basic emergency without borrowing money.

Your $100K puts you in an advantageous position, but you’re probably wondering what the best way to handle your $100K is. It's a large amount of money, but what are the right ways to invest?

There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer, but we'll show you plenty of options so that you can choose the best place for your funds and your lifestyle.

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What to Do With $100k (8 Ideas) (1)

How Do You Want to Invest?

First, ask yourself how involved you want to be in handling the money. In other words, do you want to be directly responsible for your money’s growth, or would you rather be more hands-off? Do you want to be a DIY investor, or would you like personal guidance?

If you want to invest yourself, you’ll need an online discount broker. With an online broker, you do the investing, but on their platform. Consider these factors before choosing:

If you'd rather have personal guidance, you’ll want a financial advisor. There are two types of financial advisors:

  • Robo-advisor- If you prefer automated investing, a Robo-advisor is a good choice. Robo-advisors do the investing for you after you answer questions about your risk tolerance and goal timeline.

  • Full-Service Financial Advisor- If you wantfull-service investment advice, including how to manage your money outside your investments, a full-service financial advisor is a better option. With both options, look closely at the fees, as they can quickly eat up any profits you might make from your investments.

Related Article |How To Start Investing As an Immigrant

Where to Invest $100K

Once you decide the type of investor you are, it's time to think about where to invest 100K. Where you invest depends on your risk tolerance and goal timeline.

The more time you’re willing to take, the more risks you can take, and the less time you’re willing to take or the lower your risk tolerance, the less risk you can take. For example, investing in stocks is a riskier investment with a long-term end goal, whereas investing in bonds is a lower risk.

Most investors fall somewhere in between preferring high and low-risk investments, but regardless, it’s a good idea for every investor to diversify their portfolio. Here are the top types of investments to consider.

1. Exchange-Traded Funds

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are a low-cost investment that diversifies for you. They are baskets of stocks that cover an industry or theme. Already diversified and not actively managed, ETFs are a great way to take advantage of the market's performance without the high cost of stock trading. You can choose broad or narrow themes, the niche you're most interested in, and pay low costs for the passively managed fund.

2. Stocks

Investing in individual stocks is risky. If you know what you're doing and you diversify your portfolio, it may pay off. Most DIY investors use a financial advisor to invest in individual stocks. Robo-advisors tend to stick to ETFs and mutual funds rather than stocks, but there are a few exceptions. Putting a small portion of your 100K in stocks is a great way to make your portfolio aggressive if that's your goal.

3. Peer-to-Peer Lending

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lendingmakes you a lender, along with hundreds or thousands of other investors. Using a P2P platform, you choose who and how much you will invest your money based on the information provided. Most platforms allow you to diversify your investments by investing as little as $25 in each loan. P2P investments provide a passive income in the form of interest payments and often have returns between 5-10%.

4. Investment Real Estate

$100,000 is enough to buy a property outright or serve as a hefty down payment on an investment home. If you've always wanted to be a landlord, now's your chance. It’s simple: you buy a property, fix it up (if needed) so that it's suitable for renters, and then rent it out. Once you subtract any expenses you have incurred, such as the house’s mortgage, the rent becomes your monthly cash flow. Additionally, you are also earning the home's equity and capital gains for when or if you decide to sell in the future. Owning an investment home provides plenty of tax breaks in the form of business write-offs, but be sure to watch the capital gains taxes when you sell.

5. Real Estate Investment Trusts

If your focus is on real estate, consider areal estate investment trust (REIT), a specialized form of real estate exchange-traded fund. You invest the money into the trust, and the fund manager handles the rest, including diversifying the fund's money in various investments. REITs trade on the market and work much like an ETF or mutual fund.

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Other (Less Exciting) Places to Invest $100K

If investing $100K in a risky investment doesn't sit well with you, here are some other options that aren't as exciting. They result in lower rewards but require less risk.

6. Money Market Account

A money market account is a cross between a checking and savings account. You earn higher interest rates than a savings account because they have higher minimum balance requirements, but you still have check-writing privileges, typically up to six checks a month. An FDIC-insured money market account is very low risk.

7. Bonds

Government and corporate bonds are a great low-risk investment. It’s not a bad idea to offset a risky stock or real estate portfolio with bonds for a lower risk. Bonds have much lower rates of return, but they're almost guaranteed to return your investment.

8. Certificate of Deposits

Certificates of Deposit (CDs) are accounts you tie your money up in for a predetermined amount of time. If you leave the money until maturity, you receive a set interest rate. If you withdraw the funds before the term expires, you'll pay the penalty. So only choose CDs with terms that you are comfortable with, ensuring you’re okay with leaving the funds untouched for that amount of time.

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Steps to Take Before Investing $100K

Before you invest $100K, take stock of your current financial situation. Ask yourself:

  • Do I have an emergency fund?Your emergency fund should have three to six months of expenses in it. If you don't have one or have used some of it, make sure it's fully funded first. Investing won't do you any good if you can't cover the cost of basic emergencies.

  • Did I max out my retirement contributions?If you have a 401K, at least match your employer's contribution to get free money. Ideally, though, you'll max out your $19,500 contributions to your 401K and $6,000 to an IRA. That still leaves plenty of money to invest elsewhere, but you will be able to enjoy the tax savings on at least a portion of the funds.

  • Do I know how to track my investments?Once you decide where to invest, and you do it, you must track them. Whether you use an app, like Personal Capital, a Robo-advisor, or a human advisor, tracking is crucial. Not only will you know your net worth, but you'll keep track of your fees and know how well-balanced your portfolio is at any time.

  • How will I rebalance my portfolio?Even the best-planned portfolio will change over time. If your stocks increase, for example, your stock allocation becomes heavier than your bond allocation. This rocks the boat with your diversification. If you had a 50/50 portfolio but suddenly have a 70/30 portfolio, that may be too risky for you. Knowing how you'll rebalance or who will rebalance for you is crucial. Pro-tip: Many Robo-advisors automatically do this for you.

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What to Do with $100K: It's Your Choice!

Deciding what to do with $100K is ultimately a personal decision: it takes some soul-searching. Think about your goals and risk tolerance. How much risk can you stomach? What is your goal with the money?

If you have long-term goals, such as retirement, you can look at riskier portfolios that include stocks and real estate investments. If you're a more conservative investor or have a shorter timeline, choosing less risky investments will help you reach your goals faster. ETFs and bonds are a great option.

If you want to diversify your funds even further, you can put some away in a CD or money market account while investing the rest, allowing each portion to grow at different rates.

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What to Do With $100k (8 Ideas) (2024)

FAQs

What to Do With $100k (8 Ideas)? ›

Invest $400 per month for 20 years

If you're earning a 10% average annual return and investing $400 per month, you'd be able to go from $100,000 to $1 million in savings in just over 20 years. Again, if your actual average returns are higher or lower than 10% per year, that will affect your timeline.

What can I do with a spare $100 K? ›

Best Investments for Your $100,000
  1. Index Funds, Mutual Funds and ETFs.
  2. Individual Company Stocks.
  3. Real Estate.
  4. Savings Accounts, MMAs and CDs.
  5. Pay Down Your Debt.
  6. Create an Emergency Fund.
  7. Account for the Capital Gains Tax.
  8. Employ Diversification in Your Portfolio.
Apr 19, 2023

How can I make money with $100 K cash? ›

Table of Contents
  1. Invest $100k in Stocks.
  2. Invest $100k in Real Estate.
  3. Buy a Business.
  4. Invest in Gold.
  5. Invest in Alternative Investments.
  6. Open a Solo 401(k)
  7. Set Up a Trust (or Give Tax-Free Money Now)
Jan 24, 2023

How to invest $100k to make $1 million? ›

Invest $400 per month for 20 years

If you're earning a 10% average annual return and investing $400 per month, you'd be able to go from $100,000 to $1 million in savings in just over 20 years. Again, if your actual average returns are higher or lower than 10% per year, that will affect your timeline.

How much interest will $100 000 earn in a year? ›

How much interest can $100,000 earn in a year? If you put $100,000 in CDs, high-yield savings or a money market account for a year, you could earn anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 based on current interest rates.

Is 100K in savings a lot? ›

But some people may be taking the idea of an emergency fund to an extreme. In fact, a good 51% of Americans say $100,000 is the savings amount needed to be financially healthy, according to the 2022 Personal Capital Wealth and Wellness Index. But that's a lot of money to keep locked away in savings.

How much monthly income will 100K generate? ›

A $100,000 annuity would pay you approximately $508 each month for the rest of your life if you purchased the annuity at age 60 and began taking payments immediately.

How long can you live off 100k? ›

But all the same, 100k in retirement can last up to 30 years if you stick to the general 4% thumb rule of financial planning during retirement. This rule suggests that retirees 65 and older should withdraw at most 4% of their savings during the first year of retirement.

Can you live off $100 000 dollars? ›

Most people can live comfortably on $100K a year. If you live in an area with a high cost of living and/or have a large family or very high expenses and/or debt, it may be more difficult to live comfortably on $100K a year. In either case, it is usually not challenging to afford basic living expenses.

What of people make over $100 K? ›

According to our extensive research: 18% of individual Americans make over $100k per year. 34.4% of US households make over $100k per year.

What to do with $100,000 at retirement? ›

Consider these places to invest $100,000 for retirement:
  1. Index funds.
  2. Bonds.
  3. Annuities.
  4. Real estate investment trusts.
  5. Series I savings bonds.
  6. Individual retirement accounts.
Nov 22, 2022

Is 100K enough to invest in real estate? ›

Bottom Line. Real estate represents a huge investment opportunity that welcomes investors with as little as $100,000. This amount will let an investor purchase a single property for rent or resale. Crowdfunding or joint ventures enable smaller investors to buy more costly commercial or residential properties.

What to do with 80k? ›

Top mentions include:
  1. Real Estate Syndication. As a budding investor with $80,000, you might want to invest in real estate structures without committing your funds 100 percent. ...
  2. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) ...
  3. Rental Properties. ...
  4. House Flipping. ...
  5. Self Storage. ...
  6. The Stock Market. ...
  7. ETFs and Mutual Funds. ...
  8. An Emergency Fund.

What will $100 000 be worth in 10 years? ›

We determined that if an investor achieves a 3% annual return on his or her assets, he or she would need to invest $710 each month for ten years to reach $100,000 with a $1,000 beginning amount. By the year 2031, the investment would be worth a total of $100,566.

How much will $100 K be worth in 20 years? ›

How much will $100k be worth in 20 years? If you invest $100,000 at an annual interest rate of 6%, at the end of 20 years, your initial investment will amount to a total of $320,714, putting your interest earned over the two decades at $220,714.

Can I live off interest on a 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.

Can I retire with 100K in savings? ›

According to the 4% rule, if you retired with $100,000 in savings, you could withdraw just about $4,000 per year in retirement. It's nearly impossible for anyone to survive on $4,000 per year, but the majority of retirees will also be entitled to Social Security benefits.

Can I retire with 100K saved? ›

Yet you can still retire by 65, even if you're a quintessential challenge case: a 50-year-old with just $100,000 in savings. Yes, for the majority of people that's far less than six times your current salary, as recommended by Fidelity Investments based on your age.

Is 100K in savings good at 30? ›

That's pretty good, considering that by age 30, you should aim to have the equivalent of your annual salary saved. The median earnings for Americans between 25 and 34 years old is $40,352, meaning the 16 percent with $100,000 in savings are well ahead of schedule. How much should you have stashed away at other ages?

How to create passive income with $100,000? ›

If you want IRS-type passive income, rental real estate is one of the most popular ways to generate passive income. You may be able to purchase a small property in a low-cost market outright for your $100,000. Or you could your cash as a down payment on a pricier property.

Can I retire at 60 with 500k? ›

The quick answer is “yes”! With some planning, you can retire at 60 with $500k. Remember, however, that your lifestyle will significantly affect how long your savings will last.

How to earn passive income with $100,000? ›

How to Invest 100k for Passive Income
  1. Invest in Stocks.
  2. Invest In P2P Lending.
  3. ETFs and Mutual Funds.
  4. Annuities.
  5. Emergency Funds.
  6. Invest Through a Robo Advisor.
  7. High Yield Savings Account.
  8. Invest in Cryptocurrencies.

Is 100k a year considered wealthy? ›

Earning more than $100,000 per year would put you well ahead of the median American household, which brings in $74,784 as of 2021. Assuming you're an individual without dependents, that salary would qualify you as upper class, according to three different definitions (Brookings, Urban Institute and Pew Research).

How much Social Security will I get if I make $120000 a year? ›

The point is that if you earned $120,000 per year for the past 35 years, thanks to the annual maximum taxable wage limits, the maximum Social Security benefit you could get at full retirement age is $2,687.

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.

What salary is considered rich for a single person? ›

To keep things simple, let's consider where the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sets the bar for the top 1% of earners first. According to the most recent data available for fiscal year 2019, an income of $540,009 per year puts you in the top 1% category.

Is 100k a year middle class? ›

Is $100,000 Salary a Middle Class Income? This depends on your household size and location. For a single individual, $100,000 would actually put you in the upper-income level in most places. For household sizes between two and four, $100,000 a year would put you squarely in the middle class.

How do millionaires live off interest? ›

Millionaires have many different investment philosophies. These can include investing in real estate, stock, commodities and hedge funds, among other types of financial investments. Generally, many seek to mitigate risk and therefore prefer diversified investment portfolios.

What percentage of Americans have $100 K in savings? ›

According to the survey, only 14% of Americans have $100,000 or more saved in their retirement accounts. In fact, about 78% of Americans have $50,000 or less saved for retirement.

How many Americans make $100,000 living paycheck to paycheck? ›

In December 2022, 51% of people who earn more than $100,000 reported living paycheck to paycheck, which is 7% more than the previous year, according to a survey from financial insight and advising companies PYMNTS and Lending Club.

What percent of Americans make $100 K? ›

Approximately 33.6% of U.S. households earn $100,000 or more. With that, around one in three households are bringing in a six-figure income.

What is considered a lot of money to retire? ›

“Several experts on retirement have given various estimates about how much you need to save: close to $1 million, 80% to 90% of your yearly income before quitting work, and 12 times what you used to make annually.”

Is 3000 a month a good retirement income? ›

If you have a low living cost and can supplement your income with a part-time job or a generous pension, then retiring on $3,000 a month is certainly possible.

Can I retire at 40 with $2 million dollars? ›

Retiring at 40 with $2 million is an ambitious goal, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. While you'll need a decent salary or other sources of income or wealth, saving $2 million is not out of reach.

Can I start flipping houses with 100K? ›

$100,000 is plenty for the rehab, closing costs, and other fees that come along with real estate investing. You'll need a hard money lender for the bulk of your project, but you can flip homes for much less than $100,000—even less than $5k when done right.

Do most millionaires invest in real estate? ›

Some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world have built their wealth through real estate. In fact, it's estimated that 90% of all millionaires invest in some form of real estate. There are several reasons for this, but in today's article, we'll share seven reasons why millionaires invest in real estate.

How much should I spend on a house if I make $100 K? ›

A 100K salary means you can afford a $350,000 to $500,000 house, assuming you stick with the 28% rule that most experts recommend. This would mean you would spend around $2,300 per month on your house and have a down payment of 5% to 20%.

Is 80k a rich salary? ›

Anyone who makes 80 K a year is considered to be in the middle class no matter where they live in the US. This is because you only go above the middle class if you are making $175,000 a year on average. What is this? The median income for US residents who are living off of different incomes is around 80 K a year.

Is $80000 a good salary for a single person? ›

A single person will spend much less than if you need to provide for someone else. Your living expenses and ideal budget are much less. Thus, you can live extremely comfortably on $80000 per year. This is a great opportunity to double $10k quickly in your spare time!

Can a family live off 80k a year? ›

Depending on the size of your family, $80,000 can comfortably cover living expenses and beyond.

What is 5% interest on $100000? ›

What is 5% interest on $100,000 in a savings account? If you have $100,000 in a savings account that pays five percent interest, you will earn $5,000 in interest each year. This works out to be $416.67 per month. The interest earned depends on the interest rate and the amount of money in the account.

Will my money double in 10 years? ›

Similarly, if you want to double your money in five years, your investments will need to grow at around 14.4% per year (72/5). If your goal is to double your invested sum in 10 years, you should invest in a manner to earn around 7% every year. Rule of 72 provides an approximate idea and assumes one time investment.

What will $1 dollar be worth in 2050? ›

Buying power of $50,000 in 2050
YearDollar ValueInflation Rate
2047$125,395.313.22%
2048$129,433.033.22%
2049$133,600.783.22%
2050$137,902.723.22%
27 more rows

How to invest $100 000 to make $1 million? ›

Invest $400 per month for 20 years

If you're earning a 10% average annual return and investing $400 per month, you'd be able to go from $100,000 to $1 million in savings in just over 20 years. Again, if your actual average returns are higher or lower than 10% per year, that will affect your timeline.

Where to invest $50,000 right now? ›

How to Invest $50,000
  • Open a brokerage account.
  • Use an IRA to invest.
  • Contribute to an HSA.
  • Savings accounts and CDs.
  • Mutual funds.
  • Exchange-traded funds.
  • I Bonds.
  • Hire a financial planner.
May 1, 2023

How many people have $100k saved? ›

A Third of Americans Have Less Than $10K Saved

Additionally, 15% have between $50,000 and $100,000 saved, and 9% have $100,00 to $200,000.

Can I retire at 55 with $2 million? ›

For example, you can calculate an $80,000 return for your $2 million retirement fund. As a result, your income at 55 will be $6,666 per month. Then, you'll increase this amount by 3% this year to combat inflation. Plus, you'll start collecting Social Security at 65 and estimate a $2,500 monthly benefit.

Can I retire at 55 with $1 million? ›

Can I retire at 55 with $1 million? Yes, you can retire at 55 with one million dollars. You will receive a guaranteed annual income of $56,250 immediately and for the rest of your life.

Can I retire at 45 with $1 million dollars? ›

Achieving retirement before 50 may seem unreachable, but it's entirely doable if you can save $1 million over your career. The keys to making this happen within a little more than two decades are a rigorous budget and a comprehensive retirement plan.

What is the best thing to do with spare money? ›

What to do with extra cash: Smart things to do with money
  • Pay off high-interest debt with extra cash. ...
  • Put extra cash into your emergency fund. ...
  • Increase your investment contributions with extra cash. ...
  • Invest extra cash in yourself. ...
  • Consider the timing when putting extra cash to work. ...
  • Go ahead and treat yourself with extra cash.

How much can you make in dividends with $100 K? ›

Table 1: Potential Dividend Income From A $100K Dividend Stock Portfolio
Portfolio Dividend YieldDividends on $100K
1%$1,000
2%$2,000
3%$3,000
4%$4,000
6 more rows

What to do with $100,000 k? ›

Types of assets to invest in
  • Property. On the assumption that you are looking to invest for income then buy-to-let is one option. ...
  • Cash. ...
  • Peer-to-Peer lending (the savings account alternative) ...
  • Equities. ...
  • Bonds.
Mar 15, 2023

How to stop wasting money? ›

Here are some ideas to help you stop spending money and build healthier financial habits:
  1. Create a Budget. ...
  2. Visualize What You're Saving For.
  3. Always Shop with a List. ...
  4. Nix the Brand Names. ...
  5. Master Meal Prep.
  6. Consider Cash for In-store Shopping. ...
  7. Remove Temptation.
  8. Hit “Pause"
Jan 19, 2023

How to flip 10K? ›

The Best Ways to Invest 10K
  1. Real estate investing. One of the more secure options is investing in real estate. ...
  2. Product and website flipping. ...
  3. Invest in index funds. ...
  4. Invest in mutual funds or EFTs. ...
  5. Invest in dividend stocks. ...
  6. Peer-to-peer lending (P2P) ...
  7. Invest in cryptocurrencies. ...
  8. Buy an established business.

Can I retire at 60 with 100k? ›

According to the 4% rule, if you retired with $100,000 in savings, you could withdraw just about $4,000 per year in retirement. It's nearly impossible for anyone to survive on $4,000 per year, but the majority of retirees will also be entitled to Social Security benefits.

What percent of 25 year olds make 100k? ›

Only 2% of 25-year-olds make over $100k per year, but this jumps to a considerable 12% by 35. That's a whopping 500% increase in the share of people making $100k or more. 21% of 66-year-olds make $100k per year or more.

Is 200k a year rich? ›

If you had an income of $200,000, that would put you in the top 10% of household incomes or the top 5% of individual incomes in 2021. Though I prefer household income over individual income, no matter how you cut it, $200k a year puts you on the higher end of the income spectrum.

Is 100k enough to invest in real estate? ›

Bottom Line. Real estate represents a huge investment opportunity that welcomes investors with as little as $100,000. This amount will let an investor purchase a single property for rent or resale. Crowdfunding or joint ventures enable smaller investors to buy more costly commercial or residential properties.

How much is 100k passive income? ›

An investor with $100,000 can potentially expect anywhere from $1,500 to as much as $12,000 a year on average from passive investments that will require little or no effort to oversee. A financial advisor can help you create a passive investment portfolio that meets your needs.

How much dividend stock do I need to make $1000 a month? ›

The Ideal Portfolio To Make $1,000 Per Month In Dividends

Each stock you invest in should take up at most 3.33% of your portfolio. “If each stock generates around $400 in dividend income per year, 30 of each will generate $12,000 a year or $1,000 per month.”

Where best to put $100,000? ›

  • Investing 100k In Real Estate. Many seasoned investors will argue that the best investment for 100K is in real estate. ...
  • Individual Stocks. Stocks are a great way to diversify your investment portfolio. ...
  • Investing 100k In ETFs & Mutual Funds. ...
  • Investing 100k In IRAs. ...
  • Investing 100k In Peer-To-Peer Lending.

How long will $100 000 last in retirement? ›

But all the same, 100k in retirement can last up to 30 years if you stick to the general 4% thumb rule of financial planning during retirement. This rule suggests that retirees 65 and older should withdraw at most 4% of their savings during the first year of retirement.

Where to invest large sums of money? ›

The 6 best long-term investments to grow your money over time
  • Index funds. ...
  • Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) ...
  • Real estate. ...
  • Individual stocks. ...
  • Cryptocurrency. ...
  • Yourself. ...
  • Choose your long-term investments carefully.
Feb 22, 2023

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