Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)

I currently have only $4k invested in my brokerage account purchasing VOO and SCHG.

Your money will go farther if it is invested in index/mutual funds than it would in a whole life policy.

mostly have been putting extra cash into VOO/VTI/VXUS sorts of things.

I would either 1. (Low risk option) put it in a HYSA and leave it alone. 2. (Higher risk option) Or invest in some index funds. VOO, VTI, FXAIX are all very good and popular options.

I like the idea of a brokerage account invested in VOO with monthly deposits as she continues to work.

Invest in high quality ETFs like VOO.

if you are investing the rest into an index fund like voo or equivalent, no, it is not dumb.

If not, do that, then I'd throw the rest in a brokerage invested in VOO or VTI and let it sit and compound.

For retirement/investing, use low-cost market tracking index ETFs/funds. Keep it simple and pick something like VOO, VTI, VT.

Personal Investments: $47,063 (mostly VTSAX, VOO)