Advice Please

[IDgal]

I am fairly new to this site and have been enjoying getting caught up with all of the reading material.

I am very ignorant with regard to investing strategies.  I know there is a wealth of very informed people on this site.  I would very much like to receive any and all feedback on what I should do with some money I have recently been given.

I am 42 years old and single.   

Recently my mother decided to give me $100,000.00.  The $100,000.00 is the remaining/unused portion of life insurance she received following my Father’s death.  Currently it is in an account and making a guaranteed interest rate of 3%.   

My current “investing” strategies:
**I contribute 15% of my salary to a 401K plan.
**I have a Roth IRA at LPL financial, but have not been contributing to it regularly. 
**I save $400.00/month in a low interest savings account.  The savings is for emergencies/home repairs.

Q1:  I want to switch the funds I have in the LPL Roth IRA account to a Vanguard Roth IRA.  Based on my age (42) what Vanguard Roth IRA account would be good?

Q2:  What would you do with the $100,000.00?
...I was thinking about leaving $50,000.00 where it is and maybe investing $50,000.00 in Vanguard index funds.  What funds would be good?  Any other investing strategies?   

Thanks!

[Crash87]

I can't (won't) offer any specific advice since I know very little about you, but I will provide you some links that I think are very informative:

http://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Asset_Allocation

http://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Principles_of_Tax-Efficient_Fund_Placement

I found the book "The Intelligent Asset Allocator" to be an informative read also.


Good luck!

[Mr Mark]

Put it into real estate and the market. You sound to be cash heavy in a big way.

Vanguard. A few key super low fee index funds. Read the links above. Only look at the market 1 time a year. Ignore it the rest of the time. Don't buy shares in individual companies.

If the world and US economy does not grow over the next 20-30 years, holding cash won't protect you. In fact, inflation will eat it all. Too many ordinary people are afraid of the market, and thus either lose money by staying in cash or finally buy shares only when the market is peaking. And then sell at the bottom as well.

Think about a small rental property?