A 30-year-old woman said she discovered her parents secretly set aside $25,000 for her wedding but later redirected the money to help her younger brother cover graduate school costs.
“I was completely blindsided,” she wrote in a post on Reddit’s r/AmITheA**hole forum, explaining she never knew the fund existed until her parents revealed it during an argument over tuition support.
Parents Asked For $15,000 Contribution
The dispute began when her parents asked her to contribute $15,000 toward her 22-year-old brother’s first year of graduate school. They said they would match the amount, while her brother would rely on student loans for the rest.
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She declined, saying she had worked nearly full time while in school, recently paid off her student loans on her own, and only just started saving for a home. She added that she never applied to graduate school because she could not afford it, and her parents had always made clear their children were expected to support themselves after high school.
Wedding Fund Revealed In Heated Exchange
During the exchange, her mother argued that because she was not engaged or in a relationship, the money would no longer be reserved for a wedding, but redirected toward her son’s tuition. The woman questioned why it was not considered when she looked at graduate school or now as she works toward buying a home.
Her brother, who earned a full scholarship for his undergraduate degree and graduated with honors, said he had no knowledge of the wedding fund. He acknowledged her frustration but emphasized that he never asked for it. Instead, he said his focus was on taking advantage of the opportunity his acceptance into a “prestigious program” provided.
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Online Reactions Point To Unequal Treatment
The post sparked a wave of reactions, where thousands of users shared similar experiences of unequal financial treatment between siblings.
Many commenters described the decision as sexist, arguing that the woman’s education and financial goals were overlooked in favor of supporting her brother. One response noted it was “not surprising they saved it for a wedding since you are female and wouldn’t let you use it for school or something else, but they can’t let their precious golden child son go without.”
The commenter added they would consider going no contact with the parents, suggesting this might not be the first time the brother received special treatment.
Others said the revelation would likely leave lasting resentment, with one commenter adding, “Tell me the son is the favorite child without telling me he’s the favorite child.”
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Image: Imagn Images
