22-year-old hides his million-dollar inheritance from girlfriend and roommate, says he only makes $53k a year: 'I do not want them to get suspicious'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jun 22, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Money isn't everything… But it also is. Especially when you're young. When you're just starting out in your early 20s you're probably bonded with your friends over the fact that you're not making that much money. You are in it together when it comes to making meals at home. You don't expect each other to go on crazy vacations. You can commiserate about how hard it can be when you are first starting out. It's part of your bonding experience with your friends in your 20s.

But what would happen if one of you was secretly rich and hiding it from everyone else? And I'm not talking about "They secretly grew up wealthy and have family money." I'm talking about they have $1 million in their bank account at this moment. You might feel betrayed that they were keeping that from you. Nobody likes the secret. Nobody likes to feel like they've been deceived. You might feel like they could've helped you in certain moments when you needed it. You might feel that they could've picked up the dinner bill every once in a while. But do you have the right to be angry about it?

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  • 01

    I am rich and no one knows.... AITAH?

    I am 22yrs of age and work a relatively low paying job but I reside in a low cost state. I live in a friends spare bedroom and pay super low rent while making $53k/yr. I have a girl friend and friends that have no idea that I
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  • 02
    0.00
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    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • That's what happened in the story when a young man hid his generous inheritance from his grandparents from those who were closest to him. He pretended like he was struggling alongside them and kept his finances to himself. So he took to the internet to see if his deception was above board or not. Read on for the story.

  • 03
    inherited over a million USD and have no debt besides a small amount on a truck I bought. My grandparents had a trust set up for me years ago and I have been benefiting in small amounts for years now. They recently passed and I inherited the remaining sum.
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  • 04
    AITAH for constantly wanting to save money and not offer to pay for my girlfriend (of 5 years, we will more than likely get married) + my friends meals when we go out? I am super unselfish and would love to pay for the few times I do go out with my friends but I do not want them to get suspicious and potientally lean on me finacially.
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  • 05
    I am also pretty good at investing and have $100k set aside for retirement/ emegency fund. I am waiting on my girlfriend to finish up school in ~3 years before moving out of my friends house and for us to begin our life. I would like to not rush into a house and travel a bit as her position would have the option of traveling for healthcare.
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  • 06
    *Edit* - I pay for my girlfriends food/ experiences anytime we are together, apologies for not making that clear above *2nd edit*- My best friend is the one I live with. He is well off and if he wanted market rent it would be some rando (which he does not want) He enjoys my company living with him and is one of the 2 peoplpe that know about my situation outside of my mother
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  • 07

    Commenters had some questions about how this all went down.

    Right-Refuse-5346 2d ago INFO: When you say you pay super low rent you're not paying below market value right? What I mean is, your friend isn't subsidizing your rent because he thinks you're "only" making $53k a year right?
    via u/Right-Refuse-5346
  • 08
    jax9151210 · 2d ago Anybody else getting the feeling OP might be an a hole?
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  • 09
    Sure-Acadia-4376 3d ago NTA. It's no one else's business. As long as you contribute and pay your portion of things, you're doing fine. That and avoiding being a penny pincher- barring necessary situations.
    via u/Sure-Acadia-4376
  • 10
    Cat_Lilac_Dog22 • 3d ago NTA for not telling folks yet, but it does sound like your friend is giving you a good deal on living space so I think the right thing to do would be to tell the friend you got a raise and increase your rent payment like $100/month. Help support that friend who has been helping you.
    via u/Cat_Lilac_Dog22
  • 11
    Savings_Income4829 3d ago overall NTA • You need to have a finances talk with the gf before marriage or engagement and you need to be upfront about everything. Now paying for a gfs meal or a drink etc cmon now that just proper manners, no one gets suspicious of that.
    via u/Savings_Income4829
  • 12
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  • 13
    Grand-Try-3772 - 2d ago You better start picking up the tab for your girl. It's not gonna be pretty when she finds you made her pay for everything. You don't have to tell her ur rich but don't be a tight with her. You are supposed to be a team if you gonna marry her. She will look back and know you could have helped her while she was in school but you chose not to.
    via u/Grand-Try-3772
  • 14
    thexshameless4711 3d ago . NTA, you inherited that much (invest in assets and not in things you do not understand, assets can be land or apartments, rent them out etc, $1mil is 3.7mil in Dubai {a 2 bedroom apt in a nice building can be around 1.9mil}) but remember you still make $53k a year, that inheritance is a one time thing.
    via u/thexshameless4711
  • 15
    LoudSir6423 · 2d ago . I won't say YTA, but if you're serious about marrying your gf, I think she'd reasonably feel some way about you hiding something like this. Especially since you've been together for 5 years and she's a student.
    via u/LoudSir6423
  • 16
    Pale_Cranberry1502 · 3d ago NTA. No one's business until you get engaged and have the financial breakdown sit-down with your girlfriend turned fiance. At that point, she needs to know.
    via u/Pale_Cranberry1502
  • 17
    Also, a million isn't the same at 22 as it is at 75. It's life- changing money, but not never-need-to-work-again money. Keep investing. If you're lucky, make good decisions and crunch the numbers regarding what you want the rest of your life to look like (travelling takes money), maybe you can retire early.
    via u/Pale_Cranberry1502
  • 18
    Appropriate-Roof426 3d ago I sold a company for a little. under $50 million. (That's the total, not what I got) I'm in fairly good financial shape now and retired early in my mid 50s.
    via u/Appropriate-Roof426
  • 19
    It ended up fairly hard to hide. I lead a relatively simple life still but we've now bought a few things and it's obvious. Someone also found a couple newspaper articles about it and spread them.
    via u/Appropriate-Roof426
  • 20
    Here's what happened when people found out I hadn't told them: a few family members including my brother in law. were absolutely insane jerks screaming about how I should have helped them or invested in whatever nonsense idea they had. I don't speak to any of those people anymore.
    via u/Appropriate-Roof426
  • 21
    The vast majority of the people though, were very happy for me! Those people are all in my life right now and I'm very pleased to be able to share my good fortune with them.
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  • 22
    So here's my advice: don't wait to pull the bandaid. Some people will be unreasonable, some people will be greedy, some people will just be jerks - cut them out of your life. The rest of the people, you can just be yourself around from now on. Trust me, it's a load off the mind. NTA
    via u/Appropriate-Roof426
  • 23
    LetterRepulsive774 • 3d ago I mean it'd your money dude but like not supporting your spouse is kinda bad
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  • 24
    Responsible-Let-7721 2d ago Not the a hole but I would like to point out that one day your gf/wife will find out and you'll have to explain to her why you kept it a secret. You do you but be prepared for any consequences down the road.
    via u/Responsible-Let-7721
  • 25
    No_Huckleberry2350 2d ago Nta as long as you are paying a fair rent, your friends aren't renting to you just to help you out, and you aren't encouraging people to do things that might be too expensive for them or allowing people to pick up any share of your cost. But if you are allowing people who are in a worse financial situation to subsidize you in any way, then you would be a huge ah.
    via u/No_Huckleberry2350

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