It’s interesting that a person would have that much sitting in a checking account, isn’t it? On the other hand, in retirement and old age, your priorities change. I intend to put quite a chunk into my “pool” account — not that much, of course! — to be sure there’s enough to back up the very piddling income I’ll get.

Four possible explanations have occurred to me:

* that she may be taking an entire year’s drawdown from investments at once and just stashing it in checking;

* that smaller amounts are deposited regularly, but she doesn’t spend that much and so over the years that much has accrued;

* that she was spooked by the stock market crash (having seen something similar much earlier in her life…) and decided to cash out a mutual fund; or

* that she’s the widow or ex- of a man who managed all the money and so doesn’t know to keep that much cash in an account that will earn something.