My wife and I, both mid 30sF have been together about 10 years, married 3. Ive known her grandma pretty well the whole time and especially in the last few years, I helped her out a lot and we became very close. My job is more flexible so I was actually doing a lot more with her than my wife. I was typically with her 3-4 days a week and was the main person taking her to doctor's appointments. She was a lovely woman. She passed away recently and she was relatively well off. In her will, she left a sizable chunk to my wife and I. The will named us both as the recipients, so according to the executer/attorneys its equally for both of us by law. Some of my wife's cousins and uncles were not left anything because they didnt keep in touch. The situation has created a bit of conflict as my wife views it as just hers sentimentally, despite legally it being shared.
We disagree on how we should use it. She wants to spend it almost all immediately on paying off our mortgage. I want to invest it as we have a 2.6% interest rate on the mortgage and we could make more in the markets or with risk free CDs. Im fine with a compromise where we do half and half but she thinks its her family's money so I shouldn't even get a say and should just be grateful to have the house paid off which is in both of our names. Math aside, am I wrong for not just letting her decide? I feel like since it was left to me too and I knew her grandma well, it should be treated as both of ours, but she and her family seem to think it should be viewed as just hers despite what the will said.
ETA: Im a financial advisor for a living, and this is a scenario thats come up for a few of my clients. Ive seen both avenues explored and the one Im proposing results in more wealth.