Sister with poor credit demands sibling cosign on a car loan for her, claiming she needs a new car despite her financial situation, sibling refuses: ‘The loan would fall on me’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Feb 4, 2026 3:00 PM EST

How far are you willing to go to help your sibling, and where do you draw the line?

When my older sister had her eldest daughter and granted me my first ever niece, I thought there was nothing she could ask of me that I would say no to. I spoiled both of them rotten. I bought the baby girl clothes and toys, changed diapers, gave baths, and babysat for hours when my sister needed to go out. I was young and unemployed, and I wanted to help these two important figures in my life. in whichever way I could.

While I still feel this way seven years later, as a fully grown adult, I now know that there is a limit to how far I would go to help my sister. 

The biggest question someone should ask themselves before agreeing to do someone a favor should be, "How does this affect me?" As much as we love someone, we can't completely give up on ourselves in order to help them, and we must remember that before we say yes. If you feel like the impact on your personal life once you agree to a favor is something you can handle, then and only then should you agree.

When my sister asks me to come over to babysit, I know it only affects one night of my life, and that I would probably enjoy my time with my nieces anyway, so I have no problem agreeing to that favor. However, if my sister asked me to co-sign a loan with her, I know that this could completely change my entire financial situation, which is not something I believe I could agree to.

That is what the sibling in the story below is currently dealing with. Their sister wants them to co-sign a loan for a car, since she has a bad credit score and can't do it herself. But co-signing a loan with someone who is obviously financially irresponsible is not an easy favor to do, and the sibling is well-aware of that. They don't want this decision to affect their future, but they know that one mistake made by their sister could lead to a huge negative impact.

Which is exactly why they refused to help…

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  • Happy Woman near New Modern Car
    via pixelshot

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

  • AITAH for refusing to co sign on a car loan for my sister and her boyfriend?

    My sister recently asked me to co sign on a vehicle loan for her. She lives in Florida with her boyfriend and they have a young son together.
    via Aromatic_Gur6092
  • Both of them have very poor credit. Her boyfriend is planning to file for bankruptcy soon.
    via Aromatic_Gur6092
  • They were looking at getting a 2025 or 2026 vehicle, possibly a Mustang truck, and she called me because the interest rates they were being quoted were extremely high.
    via Aromatic_Gur6092
  • During our conversation she also mentioned that she relies heavily on Klarna and Afterpay for many of her purchases, which raised concerns for me about their overall financial stability.
    via Aromatic_Gur6092
  • From what I understand they are not able to get approved unless I co sign. I live out of state and would have no control over the vehicle, insurance, or whether payments are made on time.
    via Aromatic_Gur6092
  • If payments are missed or if the car is repossessed it would directly impact my credit.
    via Aromatic_Gur6092
  • I am also worried that if her boyfriend files for bankruptcy the responsibility for the loan would fall entirely on me.
    via Aromatic_Gur6092
  • I care about my sister and her child, but this feels like an extremely high financial risk, especially for a brand new car that does not seem necessary right now.
    via Aromatic_Gur6092
  • I told her I am not comfortable co signing and she sounded disappointed. Now I feel guilty and am wondering if I am being selfish or overly cautious.
    via Aromatic_Gur6092
  • signing a contract at a car dealership
    via shisuka

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

  • Turbulent_Display749 Poor credit, a planned bankruptcy and a brand new car? This is not even something worth considering. Hard Pass. NTA
    via Turbulent_Display749
  • swishcandot No fucking way dude. They should be paying for an old beater, not a new car. New cars are for schmucks or people with his credit. They need to be realistic about what they can actually pay for and afford insurance on. NTA
    via swishcandot
  • Alarming_Paper_8357 Good lord, NO! You KNOW they are going to default on it, they have not demonstrated any kind of financial management skills. If they need a car, they need a decent used car, like a Honda Accord or something similar. They are NOT in a position to buy a flashy new truck, but they don't recognize the financial realities of their position. Who in the hell buys a new car while planning bankruptcy?!
    via Alarming_Paper_8357
  • jrm1102 NTA - why are you even questioning yourself?!
    via jrm1102
  • SuspiciousOwl7407 >Both of them have very poor credit. Her boyfriend is planning to file for bankruptcy soon. They were looking at getting a 2025 or 2026 vehicle, possibly a Mustang truck Uh, why would they do this? NTA OP. Dont help them at all.
    via SuspiciousOwl7407
  • FlounderKind8267 Never co-sign a loan for anyone unless they're your spouse or child
    via FlounderKind8267
  • Competitive-Sail6264 NTA. She needs to look for a cheaper car.... There is no way that a 2025 mustang truck is something she should be buying on credit if she has existing debts and struggles with her finances - you would absolutely be the A if you enabled her to get into debt she can't afford.
    via Competitive-Sail6264
  • Turbulent_Smile8533 The high interest is exactly for your sister and her bf. It throws more of a financial burden so they REALLY think about this purchase-- not leech into someone else's pocket. NTA and tell your sister and her bf to live within their means.
    via Turbulent_Smile8533

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credit score credit card car siblings loan couples family sister financial support money parents entitled people
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