[pmart123]

I think in practice though, if you act that you "earned it", it is much harder for people to assume they can ask you for it. You here a lot about lottery winners going broke, but you don't hear as much as startup employees on exit eventually going broke. This may be just a result of education and income levels, but I also believe that people don't mind asking you for money if it seems like it came to you through luck and not effort.

[ansy]

The justification isn't that OP came by the money unfairly, it's that because he has so much he doesn't need it as much as his friends and family need it. "Oh, can I get $20,000 for my business idea? Will you help send your niece to private school instead of state school? I'm paying 25% interest on this credit card debt, can you give me the money to pay it off?" etc etc. Everyone from his parents to that one guy he knew in college will want to solve their "small" money problems with OP's windfall, because to them he'll still be a millionaire and never have to work again. What eventually happens is OP will have to start saying NO to people then they will resent him and it will change the dynamic of their relationship. Or he could just keep his finances to himself and not bring this on himself. I'm not saying he shouldn't be able to help anyone who really needs it. It's just in his best interest to not advertise how much he really has to other people.