AITA for telling my fiancé I’ll leave him if he keeps using our money to support his homeless mother, who hid her foreclosure from us for years?

In a whirlwind of trust and betrayal, a woman’s dreams of a new home and her daughter’s future crashed when she uncovered a secret draining their savings. Her fiancé, without a word, funneled over $11,000 from their joint account to keep his homeless mother, disabled father, and sister in a hotel—after they hid their foreclosure for years. Stunned by the deception, she slammed the brakes, moving the money to her own account and warning she’d walk if it happened again. Reddit’s abuzz with this financial firestorm.

Caught between compassion for her fiancé’s struggling family and fury over his sneaky spending, she’s wrestling with guilt and resolve. Was her ultimatum a fair boundary, or a harsh cut-off for a family in crisis? As the dust settles, let’s dive into this tangled mess of love, loyalty, and hidden truths.

‘AITA for telling my fiancé I’ll leave him if he keeps using our money to support his homeless mother, who hid her foreclosure from us for years?’

This whole situation is a mess, and I don’t know if I’m being heartless or just finally setting boundaries. My mother in law lost her house due to foreclosure. The twist? She never told us. For years. My fiancé and I absolutely would have helped if we had known. We’re not rich by any means, but would’ve done whatever we could to make sure that she was able to stay in her house.

Especially because she lives with her severely disabled husband, my fiancé’s father and her disabled adult daughter. Now they’re all homeless and we’re left scrambling. When everything came to light and they got evicted, I immediately got them an extended stay hotel and paid for a week in advance.

While talking with my fiancé about how they were gonna pay to live in the hotel, I was told that their disability check would be used for housing. But apparently my fiancé kept paying for their hotel and their storage unit. All using our joint bank account, without telling me. I didn’t notice right away because I have a business that I’m trying to grow and I’m busy taking care of our child.

Yesterday I finally looked at our finances and saw that over $11,000 was used for all of their stuff and I completely lost it. I drove to the hotel and told everyone that no more of our money would be used for them. I told my fiancé that if one more cent of our money was used I will break the engagement and leave.

It’s not that I don’t care about them. I do. But I feel betrayed that she hid the foreclosure from us, let the situation spiral into homelessness and used me as a personal piggy bank. This money that we have is to go to our new house that we were supposed to be buying and also to my daughter’s school.

I also feel disrespected that my fiancé went behind my back and used our money without asking. Now the morning after I’m starting to feel guilty like it’s my fault that they’re going to be on the streets. Also, I feel it’s important to add that we have never had a good relationship with his side of the family.

We have been together 13 years so this isn’t a new relationship. His mother has never really wanted anything to do with our daughter except for maybe three holidays a year that we go to her.. Am I the a**hole for telling them that I will no longer financially help?

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This financial fiasco is a textbook case of “financial infidelity,” where one partner’s secret spending shatters trust. The woman’s ultimatum—stop or I’m gone—draws a hard line to protect her daughter and their shared goals, while her fiancé’s covert aid to his family prioritizes their crisis over their partnership. Both face tough choices, but the lack of transparency is the real fracture.

Dr. Brad Klontz, a financial psychologist, writes in Mind Over Money, “Hiding money decisions from a partner often stems from shame or fear, but it erodes the foundation of a relationship.” The fiancé’s $11,000 spending spree, bypassing discussion, reflects a deeper issue—perhaps guilt over his family’s plight or avoidance of conflict. The mother’s years-long silence on the foreclosure compounds the betrayal, leaving the woman blindsided.

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Money disputes derail many couples. A 2024 Ramsey Solutions survey found 54% of engaged couples argue over hidden spending, with 20% citing it as a breakup trigger. The woman’s move to secure the funds was pragmatic, especially with a child’s needs at stake, but her fiancé’s remorse suggests room for repair—if trust can be rebuilt.

Klontz advises structured steps: separate accounts for now, full financial disclosure, and couples’ therapy to unpack the secrecy. The woman could explore social services for her in-laws, easing the burden without draining their savings. Her call for therapy is spot-on to mend the rift.

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Here’s what Redditors had to say:

Reddit’s comment crew is tossing out a storm of empathy and tough love, grilling the fiancé’s choices and cheering her stand. Here’s a slice of their fiery takes—brace for impact! These Reddit zingers hit hard, but do they chart a path to trust or a breakup?

empathy10 − He's committed financial infidelity and it's not a small thing so don't feel compelled to excuse it because there's so much emotional baggage that comes with this situation.. In fact, I think separating finances in the short term is reasonable.

Mother_Search3350 − What you need to do is immediately separate your finances. Open a new bank account, take 50% of what's left in that account and 6500 (50%of the 11K he spent on his family) and move it into your new bank account.. Put 50% of your monthly bills in the joint account and have him put his 50%.

If he wants to subsidize their lifestyle, he needs to do it with his own money. You can't stop him from spending HIS MONEY on them, but you can stop him spending YOUR MONEY. You are only responsible for your daughters wellbeing and security 

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LakeGlen4287 − This is not about his family mismanaging their two sources of monthly disability money and taking TONS of money from your fiancé. This is about your fiancé deciding the money you had saved together for your future was his money to do with as he saw fit, without even telling you. This is not a person you can trust.

He does what he wants, when he wants, takes from you, and doesn't even talk it over with you. So obviously you can't buy a house together, or send your daughter to the school you planned. But moreover, you can't commingle your money, business, or assets with him anymore either, because he will spend it out from under you.

Obviously you cannot marry him either, but I get the sense you didn't have immediate plans, just been calling yourselves engaged, together for over a decade. You have a daughter but what you really have are two single people.

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Key_Figure9004 − NTA. There are social service agencies that can help. It’s unacceptable that he used such a significant amount of joint funds to support their poor decisions.

Scary-Scholar5800 − NTA, lesson learned. As Judge Judy says, this is what happens when you play house. Do NOT share a joint account with someone you are not married to. Get separate accounts immediately and consider whether or not you want to marry someone who is sneaky.. Maybe he needs to find out their monthly income and help find them a place they can afford themselves.

shesinluv − NTA. Your fiancé's actions were a major breach of trust and financial irresponsibility. While helping family is important, it shouldn't come at the expense of your own family's stability and future, especially when that family hid their problems.

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No_Use_9124 − The problem is not with your potential in laws. It's with your partner, hiding finances from you like that. It's a deal breaker, especially since you have a child you have to provide for. Honestly, I'm not sure I could move past it. You seem to be hiding from the reality of this just a teensy bit by setting boundaries with the family but not discussing what happened with your partner here.

I would sit down with your partner and figure out if you can move forward. You probably need to see a therapist, and they do too. Also, I would separate your money for now. Finally, the other part, your potential in laws. Honestly, it doesn't sound like they are being careless with money. It sounds like having two people with disabilities is incredibly expensive and there is no new money coming in.

That's a a situation where, depending on what country you live in, you might be able to get help from the state for their care. Your partner needs to find every last bit of assistance for them that can be found, including housing, if possible. While they are not your responsibility, your partner clearly feels differently and also unable to discuss that with you.

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It might be the daughter can be placed in assisted living, and they can get housing based on their situation. Unfortunately, if you're in the US, this is probably a bad time, because of our terrible government and the selfish cruelty running it currently. So, I hope you're in Canada or somewhere else. Good luck.

Quiet_Village_1425 − Don’t marry him!! Unless you want to live with ALL of them. Break up because his problems are yours!!!!!!!

Ericagrava − She was careless with money. They got a settlement of millions and she blew it all by trying to keep up with the jones

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GrapeGatsby23 − He is absolutely in the wrong. And financial infidelity the tip of it. He STOLE from you and he stole from your daughter. He LIED about stealing from you. He LIED about how they were going to pay for things to DELIBERATELY LULL you into a false sense of security.. It's ALL of it.

He WILL do this again. His family is a hot mess. And he decided to go behind your back and do unconscionable s**t this time. He will do it the next time they need your money. And there WILL be a next time. And a next time. If you decide to stay with him--which I don't recommend--I'd separate your finances AND go to individual and joint counseling.

This money meltdown shows how fast secrets can torch a relationship’s foundation, leaving both partners scrambling. The woman’s line in the sand—protecting her daughter and dreams—clashes with her fiancé’s hidden loyalty to his struggling family, turning love into a ledger of trust. Was she right to threaten to leave, or should she soften for their sake? How would you handle a partner dipping into your shared savings behind your back? Drop your thoughts, stories, or advice in the comments—let’s sort this financial storm together!

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