You won the lottery or inherited a fortune. What should you do first?

While most of us will only dream of ever receiving a sudden financial windfall, one lucky Powerball player purchased a winning ticket to Wednesday's estimated $1.08 billion jackpot, lottery officials said.

Though the sums aren't as hefty, money received from an inheritance, business sale, or big bonus at work, are more likely scenarios in which ordinary people can also quite suddenly find themselves with more money on hand than they ever expected to have. 

Money events like these are very emotional, according to financial advisers, who urge winners to take a series of preparatory steps before spending a dime.