Boundary wars: single mother demands a share of sister's college fund after parents reveal its existence: 'Family helps family'

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Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Nov 5, 2025 2:00 PM EST

Ideally, you should be able to talk with your family about anything. Yes, even finances! Unfortunately, most of the time these two things mix about as well as oil and water. Sometimes, you simply have to withhold financial information from certain relatives just to keep the peace. That's what one young woman did for six years while saving for her education and a more stable future. She hustled through several different jobs but kept her earnings low-key. 

However, at a recent family gathering, her parents accidentally revealed the existence of her savings fund, and her sister immediately asked her to hand it over to help her and her child. To make things worse, their parents actually agreed and pulled the classic line, "family helps family." Now, I can agree that family should lend a hand where they can, but that never means donating your entire life savings for an irresponsible family member! Seems like the rest of the internet agrees with me, too. Scroll down for the full scoop!

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  • 01

    AITA for refusing to give my college fund to my nephew after my sister found out about it?

    Cheezburger Image 10571201792
    via Jacob Lund

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Hi! For the past 6 years I have been working on different jobs in my shithole of a country in order to save up and get a real education and a proper job later.
    via u/SigmaCreeper1488
  • 03
    My parents were always promising to pay for it but they never did.. At some point I
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  • 04
    managed to get a scholarship and I use saved money for housing and other bills and spendings.
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  • 05
    I have a sister and she has a son. She was always complaining how no one ever helped her with money (just like me) but unlike
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  • 06
    her I wasn't mentioning it that much. I have never mentioned the fund but my parents have accidentally revealed it to the
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  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10571201024
    via yamasan from Getty Images

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 08
    sister at the latest family gathering. Then my sister immediately turns to me and asks to donate the remaining money
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  • 09
    to her and her child, saying I could move in back with my parents. My goddamn parents agree with her because "family helps family". I obviously refused
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  • 10
    because I have been saving up for years and now I am going to need it. Then my sister and parents just turn red, accusing me of being a selfish prick.
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  • 11
    I quickly fled the family gathering without asking other family members what do they think
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  • 12
    about it but I really don't know if I am doing something incorrect or their reaction was the wrong?
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  • 13
    EDUCATION
    via ภาพของJd8

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 14
    StrippinChicken I would stop calling it a college fund, because really it sounds like it's your lifesavings. They want you to give up all of your hard
    via u/SigmaCreeper1488
  • 15
    earned lifesavings to help them out. NTA. They are TA. It wouldve been fine for them to ask for SOME help, but to demand all of your savings is incredibly selfish.
    via u/SigmaCreeper1488

  • Isn't “family helps family” the most manipulative phrase ever? It's never used in good faith.

  • 16
    If family is supposed to help family, why are they trying to hurt you?
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    Cheezburger Image 10571201536
    via Karola G from Pexels

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 18
    Shadow4summer I don't believe for a second that her parents just let it slip out. They know she has money and they're too cheap to help their own kid. Screw them all.
    via u/SigmaCreeper1488
  • 19
    readergirl35 Your sister and her son can move back in with your parents if she can't make ends meet on her own. Your parents can give her
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  • 20
    their savings if they want her to have help so badly. If you had no need of it then you could help her if you wanted it but as it is you do need it. When your schooling is
    via u/SigmaCreeper1488
  • 21
    done you will need to establish yourself and you'll need funds to do it. I don't believe your sister or your parents will help you when
    via u/SigmaCreeper1488
  • 22
    you need it so you have to safeguard that money. Be blunt if you have to and make sure they know that your sister and her son
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  • 23
    are not your responsibility and you will not be giving her your hard earned money.
    via u/SigmaCreeper1488

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nephews relationship advice family drama siblings relationships parenting entitled family education sister money college parents entitled people
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