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This mother made the difficult decision to use the inheritance money from her late father to pay off debt and take care of other necessities. Her teenage daughter believes this choice was selfish, even though it was for her own good.
Making Ends Meet
The original poster (OP), whom we’ll refer to as Abby, is a single mother of three children. While she has enough to get by, she and her family are not financially comfortable.
Tough Choices for a Single Mother
Abby’s ex-husband pays her and her family a low pension so they won’t go hungry. Still, Abby looks forward to one day not having to worry about debt and comfortably affording necessities.
Inheritance Dilemma
A few years ago, Abby’s father passed away and left her his estate. One of his wishes was for Abby to buy a house, pay off her debt, and help her children pay for college.
A Single Mother’s Priorities
Abby spent all the money paying off the house and her debt. Any leftover money was used to purchase groceries and pay other bills.
Paying Off Debts and Securing a Home
In the end, Abby didn’t have any money left over to support her children’s college. It wasn’t easy for Abby to put off funding her children’s college expenses, but she was still struggling financially.
A Slightly Brighter Financial Future
Although she was in a better financial position after using her father’s inheritance money, Abby was still living paycheck to paycheck.
Setting Expectations Early in Life
Abby told her children that she wouldn’t be able to support their college financially. If they chose to pursue college, they would be responsible for all their expenses.
Financing College Independently
However, if they chose to attend a local college, they would have the opportunity to save on housing costs because they would live at home.
Admitted to College
The time came for Abby’s older daughter, Violet, to pursue college. She was accepted to a great college in the city and started to apply for jobs.
Daughter Discovers Cousin’s College Fund
Recently, Violet overheard from one of her cousins—the child of Abby’s financially well-off brother—that her grandfather had left him a college fund.
Upon learning she should have been entitled to a college fund, Violet confronted Abby.
Questioning Mother’s Financial Decisions
Violet felt her mother could’ve saved her from her current financial struggle. She accused her mother of being selfish and said she should’ve prioritized her and her siblings—as her uncle did with her cousin.
A Clash of Perspectives
After hearing this, Abby felt hurt and tried to explain why she made the choices she did. Abby felt that she did what was necessary to keep food on the table for her children.
Reviewing Father’s Wishes
“If it was of [the utmost] importance that the money go to your kids’ education, he could have set it up that way in his will,” one reader comments. “He didn’t and left everything to you instead.”
Putting Family First
“Your father left money to help you,” another writes. “You used it for your family.”
Inheritance Didn’t Last Long
“You spent it on paying off the mortgage and debts, in line with his wishes,” a third reader posted. “So it sounds like you didn’t go against his wishes, just that the money didn’t go as far as he had hoped.”
Single Mother Faces Criticism
Abby is left feeling sad. Despite trying to do the best for her family, her daughter now thinks she is selfish.
Although Abby’s children will struggle to finance their college degrees, they could still pull it off. We hope Abby’s financial situation and her relationship with Violet improve.
Father Seeks Daughter’s Inheritance Share for Newborn, Tensions Erupt After Unpleasant Response
This is the story of a young woman who inherited her grandparents’ estate after their deaths. Her father demanded some of the money to support his pregnant wife after he blew through his own inheritance — and showed his true colors when she refused.
Father Seeks Daughter’s Inheritance Share for Newborn, Tensions Erupt After Unpleasant Response
He Repeatedly Pressures Wife to Spend Her Inheritance, so She Takes a Stand at New Year’s Eve Dinner
Spouses should support each other in times of crisis. Instead, this woman’s husband has been taking advantage of her inheritance since her mother’s death. His whole family expected her to pay for things until she finally put her foot down.
He Repeatedly Pressures Wife to Spend Her Inheritance, so She Takes a Stand at New Year’s Eve Dinner
He Purchases a New Home and Car With Inheritance, After Discovering News Ex-Wife Seeks Justice
A man received a good chunk of money after his grandmother passed away. While he and his ex-wife had been co-parenting successfully, when she heard about his newfound wealth, she started making demands.
He Purchases a New Home and Car With Inheritance, After Discovering News Ex-Wife Seeks Justice
His Late Mother Repeatedly Ignored His Funeral Advice, Now He Refuses to Pay
After his father’s death, this man advised his mother to think about her own funeral. She repeatedly refused. When she passed away with no arrangements in place, his siblings were upset to learn he didn’t want to contribute to the funeral costs.
His Late Mother Repeatedly Ignored His Funeral Advice, Now He Refuses to Pay
Woman Fights to Protect Her Children’s Future as Boyfriend’s Parents Eye Her Inheritance
A woman plans to use her inheritance to set up a good future for herself and her children. However, her boyfriend wants to use the money to help out his parents, who have made poor financial decisions in the past.
Woman Fights to Protect Her Children’s Future as Boyfriend’s Parents Eye Her Inheritance
