[drdec]

> If one of you got an inheritance, would that be carved off and only spendable by the inheritor?

Legally speaking, an inheritance is not marital property. If you put it in a joint bank account or use it to improve joint property it can become marital property however.

[mooreds]

You have a point, the OP owns his wife's startup jackpot in the eyes of the law. (Unless there's a prenup in the mix, which is not mentioned.)

But there's legal situations and then there is real life. If a discussion about money ever gets the lawyers involved, then the marriage is either way more high powered than anyone I've ever known or is in a pretty bad state.

[atwood22]

To me, it’d be pretty weird to enter a lifelong agreement with someone to share everything, but then as soon as you hit the lotto you start to squirrel things away on the side.

[tluyben2]

Yes, as you also share terrible things like stress, anxiety etc that often comes with these kind of jobs. It might not feel as much but I know quite a few cases where the stay-at-home person burnt out severely because of the stress transferred from top manager or director or trader type of functions. Just all a bit weird; shared is shared to me.