Spouse passed away - need advice on insurance money

[Bhavesh]

The life insurance paid out 8 cr and the employer gave 2 cr. I'm lost about what to do. It's been six months and I'm looking for advice.

I have a 50 L home loan,
14 L car loan,
and I earn 65 L per annum.

I'm not in the right mental state to touch the money. No family or friends know about the payout. I'm thinking of putting everything into a mutual fund for at least a year, then maybe start a systematic withdrawal plan to service my loans. I can handle the current payouts.

[Vikram]

Sorry for your loss. May God give you strength to grieve.

[Shashi]

Sorry for your loss. I recommend you get a qualified financial expert to guide you. It's better than relying on random internet advice when you can afford professional help.

[Jignesh]

Really sorry for your loss. Six months is still recent, so don't rush into big investment moves.

First, clear both the home and car loans right away. Being debt‑free will lift a lot of mental burden.

Put the remaining 9.3 Cr in fixed deposits or liquid mutual funds for about a year. Avoid any bank RM or agent pushing ULIPs, PFS schemes or long‑term lock‑in products. You need safety, not aggressive returns, while you adjust.

For longer‑term planning, consider: do you have kids, parents or in‑laws depending on you? What are your approximate monthly expenses? Will you stay in your current job or need this corpus to replace your income if you take a break?

[Dilip]

Pay off the loans and put the rest in a liquid mutual fund. It's hard to imagine being in this situation.

[Arpita]

I'd keep it in a fixed deposit for now.

[Rakesh]

Very sorry for your loss.

I have a genuine question: do people usually take such high life‑insurance cover on a 65 L salary? What were the monthly or annual premiums? Was it a plain term policy? At what age was it started?

[Douglas]

I am so sorry for your loss.

[Nakul]

I'm sorry for your loss; I lost a close one less than a month ago, so I understand a bit of what you're feeling. If you need to vent anonymously, feel free to ping me or find a peaceful place to clear your mind.

Financially:
1. Close all your loans – you don't need that stress now.
2. Use the money you were using for EMIs to help your parents when needed, not as a regular monthly commitment.
3. Park the rest in a fixed deposit for now. I'd avoid mutual funds at the moment because the market feels volatile and you need a stable mind.
4. This gives you time to grieve and, when you're ready, meet a few financial advisors to plan properly.
5. Be careful about who you trust right now.

[Tarun]

Sorry for your loss. Be cautious of DMs from people offering help.

[Vijay]

Sorry to hear that, OP.

Please hire a fixed‑fee registered investment advisor; they'll guide you.

Stay away from CAs, tax consultants, relatives or multi‑family offices for now.