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Paying for college without taking on a lot of debt is no easy task. Annual tuition and fees at public four-year colleges for 2021-2022 were $10,740 for state residents to about $27,500 for out-of-state residents, according to College Board data.
If you’re fortunate enough to have a college fund established for you by a well-to-do relative, graduating debt-free is possible. That is unless your parents decide to use your tuition money for something else.
The Backstory
That’s what happened to one Reddit user who went to the bank to get her tuition money, only to discover the account had been plundered. The account had been funded by a great-aunt of the original poster (OP), who wanted all of her female relatives to get a college education.
“My great-aunt set up savings accounts for all of her female relatives. She funded the education of as many of her nieces and grandnieces as she could. When she passed away, she left money for every girl relative she could.”
When confronting her parents about the missing money, they were initially cagy about how it had been spent, saying only they needed it. The original poster (OP) later discovered that her college fund was used to pay for her brother’s wedding.
Her Parents’ Response
“My parents managed to access the accounts that were set up for my sister and I. They used it to pay for my brother’s wedding. My sister didn’t care because she got married two years out of high school and had no intention of going to college. When I graduated, I went to the bank to get money for school, and it was almost all gone.”
The OP was understandably upset. She was forced to take out student loans to pay for school.
The Lawsuit and the Aftermath
She filed a lawsuit against her parents to recover the money her great-aunt left to pay for her education. That did not sit well with her family.
“My entire family is against me. They all think I am a complete a****** for airing private family business in public. And that I am putting money ahead of family.”
The OP further mentions feeling somewhat ashamed. She also expressed that she doesn’t want to bear the burden of taking on debt she should not have, thanks to her great-aunt’s generosity.
Redditors Respond
Reddit users were overwhelmingly on her side. As one user pointed out, “Your parents didn’t borrow your money. They stole it.” That observation was echoed repeatedly throughout the thread.
Redditors also dismissed the idea that the OP should feel ashamed or drop the lawsuit to avoid embarrassing her family.
“You aren’t posting drama on TikTok, you’re suing them in court. The court will decide if they broke the law or not,” one commenter pointed out. “Allowing a court to settle an issue when someone has broken the law is not ‘airing private family business.’ It’s protecting yourself from illegal and/or abusive behaviors.”
The fact that the OP’s parents disregarded another family member’s dying wish was not lost on Reddit users either.
“Yeah, not only did they steal a life-changing amount of money from OP, but the way they did it is also incredibly disrespectful of the dead aunt that the money came from,” one user wrote.
Her Brother Steps in but Doesn’t Step Up
In response to the lawsuit, the OP’s brother, the main beneficiary of the misappropriated funds, offered to step in and pay for the OP’s schooling, but only if she drops the lawsuit. The OP was willing to accept, but she added a condition of her own.
“My brother called me up and offered to pay for my university if I drop the lawsuit. I agreed as long as we had a legally binding contract.”
The OP’s insistence on getting her brother’s offer in writing ignited another feud, unfortunately. Her brother lashed out at her for not trusting him to keep his word. Again, Reddit users sided with the OP.
“Since you have already been betrayed by family members you trusted, your brother should not be offended that you want a written contract,” opined one Reddit user.
Who’s Right?
Is the OP suing her parents shameful or justified? Should she accept her brother’s offer without a contract? What would you do if your parents used money from your college fund to pay for a sibling’s wedding?
Read the entire Reddit thread here.
