Three-Scenario Windfall Triage: Where Does My Money Go First?

A bonus lands and the temptation is to spread it thin across everything at once. This walks you through a triage framework instead: immediate liquidity, then debt, then savings, then investing, in order. Feed in your debt, interest rate, emergency fund, and balances. Best when you want a clear sequence rather than a guess.

I just received a windfall of {WINDFALL_AMOUNT} from a {WINDFALL_SOURCE} (bonus / inheritance / tax refund). My current financial situation: total debt is {TOTAL_DEBT} at an average interest rate of {AVG_INTEREST_RATE}%, I have {EMERGENCY_FUND_MONTHS} months of emergency savings, and my investment account balance is {INVESTMENT_BALANCE}. Walk me step-by-step through a triage framework that covers: (1) immediate liquidity needs, (2) high-interest debt elimination, (3) tax-advantaged investment top-ups, and (4) discretionary spending allocation. For each category, state the recommended dollar amount or percentage, explain the reasoning, and flag any assumptions you are making. End with a one-paragraph summary I can share with a financial adviser.