Definition
Windfall
A sudden, often one-time sum of money you did not plan on.
A windfall is unexpected money: a tax refund, work bonus, inheritance, gift, or legal settlement. Because it arrives outside your normal income, it feels like bonus cash and is easy to spend impulsively.
Treating a windfall as fuel for a goal, whether paying off debt or topping up savings, can move your finances forward faster than months of ordinary budgeting.