April 29, 2025 at 9:24 am

Her Husband Refuses To Contribute Finacially And Expects Her To Cash Out Her 401K, But She Thinks He’s Lost His Mind

by Ashley Ashbee

Display of wrist watches

Pexels/Reddit

Money can mess up any relationship and the impact can affect a person for the rest of their life.

Once you’re married, those difficult conversations really can’t be avoided – not if you want to be on the same page in the future.

Read on to see what his wife is up against in her difficult situation.

AITA if I could help my husband with his car payments, but don’t?

My husband has been self-employed for the last 8 years.

During that time, I’ve worked full-time in a more traditional job to pay all of our bills while he chases his dreams.

He contributes a small chunk of money once or twice a year when he makes a big sale (usually a few thousand dollars at a time).

Two years ago, he decided he wanted to trade his new-ish paid-off SUV for the newest model.

We priced out cars and I told him we simply couldn’t afford it.

It wasn’t in our budget.

That didn’t sit well with her…

He bought it anyways and told me not to sweat it, that he’d pay for it from his business.

I reminded him that his business didn’t provide regular income and warned him that if he didn’t make enough to pay his car payment, I wouldn’t have the money to help him.

He told me it was such a minimal monthly amount that it wouldn’t be an issue.

One year later, he became permanently disabled and his work (and income) came to a screeching halt.

He’s been unable to generate any more money and has made excuses for not applying for disability for a year now.

He’s continued to pay his car payments from saved up money in his business account, but is quickly running out.

I encouraged him to either (1) make money through his work, (2) apply for disability to help pay for his car payment, or (3) sell one of his watches (he has a good size collection, many worth thousands).

And now he wants her to bear the burden.

Instead, he’s encouraged me to cash out my small 401k to help make ends meet.

He reasons that he didn’t choose to become disabled and would prefer to work and bring in money, but…can’t…so it’s not his fault or responsibility…that the situation actually crushes him on a daily basis.

He also suggested that if the tables were turned, he wouldn’t hesitate for a minute to support me financially in any way he could and that I’m TA for not doing the same.

I feel stressed and angry that I already anticipated this and asked him not to buy the SUV in the first place and now here we are…exactly where I was worried about being.

AITA if I refuse to cash out my 401k to help pay for my husband’s car and insist he figure out his payments on his own?

Here is what folks are saying.

Exactly. Why do his dreams and luxuries come before her livelihood in retirement?

Screenshot 2025 04 08 at 7.19.09 PM Her Husband Refuses To Contribute Finacially And Expects Her To Cash Out Her 401K, But She Thinks Hes Lost His Mind

That’s all there is to it.

Screenshot 2025 04 08 at 7.19.26 PM Her Husband Refuses To Contribute Finacially And Expects Her To Cash Out Her 401K, But She Thinks Hes Lost His Mind

It sounds like she’s talking about her son.

Screenshot 2025 04 08 at 7.20.35 PM Her Husband Refuses To Contribute Finacially And Expects Her To Cash Out Her 401K, But She Thinks Hes Lost His Mind

Sad to say, but it’s that serious.

Screenshot 2025 04 08 at 7.22.29 PM Her Husband Refuses To Contribute Finacially And Expects Her To Cash Out Her 401K, But She Thinks Hes Lost His Mind

He sounds super manipulative.

Screenshot 2025 04 08 at 7.23.02 PM Her Husband Refuses To Contribute Finacially And Expects Her To Cash Out Her 401K, But She Thinks Hes Lost His Mind

Beggars can’t be choosers, honey.

Time to face the consequences.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.