25K in Cash...

[phantom]

Could be found, given as a gift, a willing giver, etc...

If it was found, as in someone found an envelope of cash laying on the ground, I definitely wouldn't want it. Maybe someone was planning a large purchase and dropped it, in which case I'd want the person who found it to try to get it back to the original recipient. Maybe it got dropped some illegal activity went awry, in which case I wouldn't want anything to do with it.

If it was a gift, that just pushes the whole thing back a step and I'd want to know why someone gave a gift of $25k in cash. I'm having a hard time imagining scenarios where you want to give someone a gift of $25k and choose to give cash rather than using some sort of check.

[Savingmonster]

If it was found, as in someone found an envelope of cash laying on the ground, I definitely wouldn't want it. Maybe someone was planning a large purchase and dropped it, in which case I'd want the person who found it to try to get it back to the original recipient. Maybe it got dropped some illegal activity went awry, in which case I wouldn't want anything to do with it.

If it was a gift, that just pushes the whole thing back a step and I'd want to know why someone gave a gift of $25k in cash. I'm having a hard time imagining scenarios where you want to give someone a gift of $25k and choose to give cash rather than using some sort of check.

Right, exactly!

[rennigade]

I would not deposit it and would be paying cash for almost all purchases for a while.

[bjl584]

I'd want to know why I receiving such a large sum. Where did this money come from? Why are you giving it to me? Is there any illegal activity attached to this money?

If it was legit, then I'd put it in a safe. You can deposit some of it and probably avoid structuring if you deposit different small amounts spread out over a long time period or by depositing it at different banks and credit unions.

[bigdaddybus]

I'd deposit some in savings, some in my brokerage account, and some to take my hot wife out to dinner!

[MakeAStash]

Since you say the cash is legit, keep some to spend and invest the rest. Let the bank report it if they must. I doubt the IRS cares unless you cannot account for repeated and regular such deposits.

[JBinKC]

Two government issues here Form 8300 scrutiny and also the gift tax is owed. As for the logical thing to do you be the judge.