Okay, need your opinions AT'ers....

[NYHoustonman]

You're parents are assholes, your sister was a little irresponsible with the car thing but I can't blame her really. I'd give your parents a good talking to. If they're anything like my parents they'd understand and at least help her out a little.

Situations like this piss me off just hearing about them.

 

[mwtgg]

This thread is ridiculous.

1) She has no right to your parent's money
2) She has no right to a college education
3) She can date whoever she wants to, but your parents don't have to give her any money

 

[myusername]

Originally posted by: waggyso what does it matter that they claim her on their taxes?

So what is that they are commiting tax fraud if she is not a dependent but is listed as such. Additionally, she will be ineligible for (need based) financial aid based on her parents' income as long as they claim her as dependent.

You may chastise me for being misinformed if the OP clarifies that the parents are paying for tuition/room/board, and are simply withholding spending money

 

[Venix]

Yes, but if she didn't apply for financial aid because her parents told her they'd support her, they're in the wrong for screwing her like this. They should at least continue to give her money on the contingency that she pay it back.

My mother-in-law tried pulling similar crap before my wedding. She absolutely insisted on paying for it, so I used the majority of my savings to buy a house. Then she decided at the last minute that she didn't want to pay for it because she didn't like my family and would rather use the money to buy a boat. This is after tripling its costs because she wanted to invite more people, have more expensive things, etc., and at this point if we cancelled we'd have to pay 50% of the costs as a penalty.

I wound up paying for the entire thing with my savings and some credit cards, and then I sued her for the 2/3's I hadn't planned on paying for and won. I certainly wouldn't have had a problem paying for the entire thing myself, but when someone says, "I'll give you money to do this," I expect them to follow through.

Damn.. I bet that made reunions a wee bit akward eh?

Surprisingly, it didn't. My wife and I got an apology after the judge chewed her out in court.

I'm sure it helped that we only sued for the additional $8000 my mother-in-law had tacked on rather than the entire cost. I felt that I was responsible for the ~$3000 it was originally going to cost, but there was no way I was going to pay $8k for the additional food, plane tickets, $450 a night hotels, and so on for all the extra people that she insisted on inviting.

 

[bleeb]

Tell her to break up with her boyfriend.

 

[Darilus]

Originally posted by: mwtgg
This thread is ridiculous.

1) She has no right to your parent's money
2) She has no right to a college education
3) She can date whoever she wants to, but your parents don't have to give her any money

Agreed. As far as I know your parents can claim her on their taxes until she's 24 as long as she's in college, regardless of whether they shell out a dime. Unless she claims herself on her taxes, and your parents also claim her on their taxes, I don't believe it breaks any laws.

That being said, while I agree that your parents aren't being very nice, it's their fscking money. Going to sue your parents? Get your head out of your a$$.

 

[Howard]

If I was a parent, I would expect to be treated by my children as I treat them.

Note: It's OK to break your word if you dislike something that doesn't really affect you.

 

[mwtgg]

Let's see here... Verbal contracts.

The main problem with a verbal contract is that if any problems should arise, and there are no witnesses who were present when the verbal contract was made, the case is reduced to one party's word against the others. In order to be considered valid, a verbal contract must contain three elements: offer, acceptance, and consideration. In addition to an offer and acceptance, verbal contracts must contain consideration. This means that each side must give the other something of value for the agreement to be binding. In most verbal contracts, this is an exchange of money, such as a down payment. However, in some cases, such as an employment situation, mutual promises will do.

So.. in other words, you don't have a leg to stand on in defense of your sister.

 

[Ninjja]

couple of questions.

Why can't you help her out financially?

Why can't she just pretend like she dumped the boyfriend?

 

[kranky]

Your parents are wrong for pulling the financial rug out from under your sister, but they have the right to do it.

Looking for revenge isn't productive. There is no legal remedy that is going to take effect in a week. And what's the point of going the legal route if it takes months to settle? She needs an answer now.

Your sister can go to her Financial Aid office and ask what can be done about getting a loan. They will know if it's possible. If it's not, then she can either drop out at the end of the semester until she gets some money together to finish, or she can try to raise money. She could take a personal loan, she could sell her car for something less expensive, she could sell personal items or reduce her expenses. With only a couple months to go in the semester, she ought to be able to squeeze by.

I personally think she showed bad judgment by having so many financial obligations while not being able to pay her own way, but that's water under the bridge now. You said she works full time - how can she not afford to pay her own bills?

 

[eigen]

Have her start stripping and then have her tell her parents that she will continue as she needs to make up for lost funds...either way..profit.

 

[Darilus]

Originally posted by: eigen
Have her start stripping and then have her tell her parents that she will continue as she needs to make up for lost funds...either way..profit.

Ok, that made me laugh. But what if she's not "stripper quality".

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Darilus

Originally posted by: mwtgg
This thread is ridiculous.

1) She has no right to your parent's money
2) She has no right to a college education
3) She can date whoever she wants to, but your parents don't have to give her any money

Agreed. As far as I know your parents can claim her on their taxes until she's 24 as long as she's in college, regardless of whether they shell out a dime. Unless she claims herself on her taxes, and your parents also claim her on their taxes, I don't believe it breaks any laws.

That being said, while I agree that your parents aren't being very nice, it's their fscking money. Going to sue your parents? Get your head out of your a$$.

Well, it forces her to file as a dependent...IF she wants her parents to take the deduction.

But here are some options, sorted in order of bastardness:

1) Learn to live with less. Take out some loans, get an older car, find cheaper housing.

2) Break up with bf/Say she broke up with bf

3) File as independent, and threaten to rat parents out to IRS if they claim her (which will cost them money, possibly as much money as they would ordinarily be giving her if they are rich enough. Them giving her $500/mo suggests that they are rich enough.)

4) File as independent, don't tell parents, and rat them out to the IRS after they've filed. This is questionable, since the parents might be able to convince the IRS that they had "good reason" to believe the circumstances hadn't changed. If she plays her cards right, though, this will majorly piss them off.

Of course, the best option is to talk to them. Convince them the bf really isn't all that bad, she's going to date him whether or not the parents pay, and it's their choice whether she starves while she does so.

 

[Drizzy]

Your parents have the right to do that whenever they want. Same as if you live in their house and they dont like what you do - they can make rules etc... I think its funny when kids think they are entitled to things that the parents do as a service.

 

[tm37]

Originally posted by: Venix

Why should your parents give your sister $500/mo when she is doing something they disapprove of? She has no right to their money and they have no obligation to give it to her.

Yes, but if she didn't apply for financial aid because her parents told her they'd support her, they're in the wrong for screwing her like this. They should at least continue to give her money on the contingency that she pay it back.

My mother-in-law tried pulling similar crap before my wedding. She absolutely insisted on paying for it, so I used the majority of my savings to buy a house. Then she decided at the last minute that she didn't want to pay for it because she didn't like my family and would rather use the money to buy a boat. This is after tripling its costs because she wanted to invite more people, have more expensive things, etc., and at this point if we cancelled we'd have to pay 50% of the costs as a penalty.

I wound up paying for the entire thing with my savings and some credit cards, and then I sued her for the 2/3's I hadn't planned on paying for and won. I certainly wouldn't have had a problem paying for the entire thing myself, but when someone says, "I'll give you money to do this," I expect them to follow through.

I'll bet family gathering are a hoot come the holidays