Well, it depends on your situation, but in general you could consider: - Do you have high interest debts? Paying off debt is a guaranteed return. - Can the mo

Well, it depends on your situation, but in general you could consider: - Do you have high interest debts? Paying off debt is a guaranteed return. - Can the money be invested, or is it earmarked for e.g. downpayment for a house, new car, education, or other short to mid-term purchases ? Consider your investment horizon. If it's less than 3-5 years, consider leaving it where it is. - Can you spend it on yourself, e.g. improve your earning potential or start a business ? - If you want to invest it in the stock market, I would not try and pick stocks, but spread it across a number of well diversified funds. I also would not spend all the money at once but e.g. aim to invest a chunk of it every month over 6-8 months Think within the context of broader personal finance considerations, there's already a few good links in the answers.