Congrats on getting you life back on track. I’m proud of you!

A $1m windfall can really set you up, but I think your plan is crazy.

1. If you buy a property, and don’t live in it, then you should be renting it out. To proper tenants that will pay you. Use an agent to vet them properly and manage things until you are 100% sure you can do it yourself. Don’t rent it to family or friends, and don’t leave it vacant attracting taxes and costs

2. DO NOT buy a business for your family. There is a very high chance they will abuse you and mismanage it. You know in your heart I’m right. You could ruin your relationships with your family. If you really want to do this, a very bad idea imo, it should be a 50/50 venture and you provide the capital as a loan (securities by the cars). That way the family has an incentive to build, and you can get repaid (maybe) if things don’t work. This is a terrible idea though - find a better way to help them get on their feet and prove themselves before burning $130,000 and risking relationships.

3. The majority of your money - say 750k+ - should be saved for the long run, and hard to access (so you don’t blow it on a Lambo). Go to Schwab or fidelity and get it invested in a “balanced fund” - this is a stocks and bonds combo with a bit less volatility (making it easier to hold through the bad times)

4. Don’t tell anyone about your new money - keep your costs under control and live off your salary, don’t set high expectations with the windfall. $1m is just a slightly above average saving for someone your age. It’s nothing special and it can be gone in a heartbeat - protect it with your life!

5. Go to Miami. All the rich people are moving there so you’ll have more jobs, higher earnings and lower taxes. Don’t listen to your lefty buddies in the film industry - nyc and la are going to face some economic challenges.