[norwaypinesavage]

$1 and a quarter million when you're 17 is hardly rich. Any annuity expert will tell you that in order to make an investment permanent, it must be invested safely, and you can take NO MORE than 4% out each year. That makes out to be $50,000 a year.

Now, 50K a year ain't chicken feed, but it's not "rich". A house, nice car, and a couple of vacations, and bam, you gotta start working.

[Jonty30]

The best thing to do, at that age and that money, is maximize your pension contributions and leave the money sit and accumulate while you work and only draw a little bit more than your income to live a step up from your current circumstances.