Depends on who your bf is. Does he consider your money to be his? Will he expect you to use it for your "joint" life? Will it make him change his mind about taking care of you or paying the bills? Frankly, these are the kinds of questions you should want the answers to even if you didn't inherit money. It is important to understand the full financial expectations of the person with whom you are sharing a life.

I had a substantial savings and a tract of land when I met dh simply because I am very conscious of saving and not buying shit I don't need. He, on the other hand, had nothing.

We did use some of my savings to pay for infertility treatments, but that is it. It is my money. It is my land. It was mine before he met me and it is mine now. And it is willed to our son. My dh never expected me to use it for anything related to our relationship.

I am not a fan of lying at all. So I would just tell him..”Hey…I inherited this money and this is what I am doing with this money. I am buying my kids and I some stuff and the rest is going into my savings for me and my kids when needed.” Then leave it at that.
You have only been dating for 9 months…I think it would be absurd for him to think he should have some of your money.

And JMHO…I also don’t think it is a good idea to be talking about living together after dating for only 9 months either. If you knew him better, you would know how he would react to this money situation. If you don’t’ know how he will react to this kind of situation, then you really don’t know how he will react to other, bigger, situations. Not judging, just warning from experience.

I would wait to tell him, if you do tell him, I think you $ would be gone quick "bc you can afford this and that". IMO I would act like I don't have it. When you have been together a few years or get engaged or married or whatever I would say " I have a little nest egg saved up that I inherited a long time ago that I don't touch"

Or

You never know what the future holds, after people get screwed sometimes they keep a savings for themselves that no one knows about just in case they need to get out and get out quick.........I'm sure you will do the right thing. Just don't feel guilty about not telling him. It's your's and even though you are in love ou haven't been together tha long and $ changes people.

Due to the way the new home will be set up, I say don't tell him. You and your girls are moving into his home. He will be the only paying all household bills. He's the only one investing in the home.

If things don't work out, he can bounce the three of you out of his home.

I think you should keep the info about the money to yourself until he takes steps to make his home OUR home.

Hell I am happily married to DH and he has no clue how much money I have, what it is invested in or even where the accounts are.

It is not lying to him not to bare all of your financial details. Assuming that he really is a good guy and that you have a long-term future with him it will be to your benefit as a couple if you pay off your student loans.

I'd stick most of it in the bank or invest it somewhere safe, as most of the others have suggested.

Take a bit of it and get your highlights, buy your daughter some clothes, etc.

Don't say anything about the money.

If he asks about you spending a few hundred of "mad money" just tell him your dad gave you some cash out of his share (which he did) and do NOT discuss any amounts. Keep it as your "safe fund" in case you ever need it.

My advise: Get financial advice FIRST!

I know you may want to pay off your loans but that may not be the wisest thing in the long run. Especially if your loans are low-interest and you have more time to pay them back. You may be much better off investing the whole lump sump in an account that will grow.

You may aslo want to look into putting this money into a revokable trust - go to your local bank and ask if they have a trust department who you can work with.

In any case, this money is yours and your family's. Of course you can choose to do what you want with it and that means spending it however you want to. But I certainly wouldn't let BF or your pending co-havitation situation have any influence over that.

I would merely say to him that I had inherited a modest amount of money (he doesn't need to know how much) and I was looking into investing it long-term for my kids' future.

You are not marrying him. You will be cohabitating in HIS house. That money is your safety net for yourself and your children, should this short-term relationship fail to progress. If the interest on your student loans is tax deductible, you might want to leave them alone, especially if they are low interest, and simply keep the money safe and sound, available if you need it. Money is freedom. If he turns into a jerk when you move in together, you can leave. Today, you think that it isn't possible that he could change, but as many of us have seen, it takes more than nine months of dating to really know someone. He will be revealed over time, and he may not be who you think he is. I don't understand the comments that you would be lying to him if you don't tell him every detail of your financial situation. Maybe if you had been married for a long time, but in this new situation, it is none of his business what resources you choose to use and how you use them, as long as you are not taking advantage of him. Especially as an unmarried couple.