You don’t realize how much power money holds until someone uses it against you.

So, what would you do if your mom demanded you pay for college even though your grandfather left her enough money to cover it? Would you just do it to prevent problems? Or would you finally call her out after years of giving her your money?

In the following story, one daughter does just that, and her mother is not happy.

Here’s what happened.

AITA For telling my mom she owes me $20,000. And that I don’t owe her money for school

I (F20) and my mother (F56) have always had a pretty bipolar relationship. I grew up in a very loving household that was different from what most people may consider to be standard.

My dad (M66) is a paraplegic and was a stay-at-home dad growing up, making my mom the main source of income. His paralysis also means that it took a lot of effort for my mom to have my twin sister and me.

Since I can remember, all the paychecks I have made have gone to her to help pay for expenses. Birthday money, graduation gifts, and work paychecks have all gone directly to her.

She claims it’s to pay off the expenses that I cause her, like food, housing, gas money, elaborate vacations, clothes, and so on.

In total, she’s given her mother a lot of money.

Recently, I have been attending a private university that costs quite a bit of money. My grandfather, my mom’s dad, was very wealthy, and when he died, he left my mom a large sum of money to cover our college expenses, as stated in his will.

Since being in school, I have also worked two part-time jobs in order to pay for my own food, gas, and other things. Recently, though, my mom has been demanding I pay for my college as well (about $20K a semester) because she didn’t know that having kids meant spending this much money.

I totaled up how much I’ve given her, and just on my paychecks over the past three years alone, the total comes out to $30K (I subtracted about $10K because I know some of it I have spent on myself).

My mom responded to me pointing this out by saying I should still take on my own responsibilities and that she won’t be paying me back.

Her mom does not want to give it back.

I’m applying to graduate school this year and planning on moving away, so I was hoping to have enough money saved up to support myself, but without her paying me back, I won’t be able to.

She said that if she pays me back, that’s the end of our relationship; she’ll hand me a check and then cut off contact completely.

I told her I don’t owe her money for school, because my grandfather left more than enough to cover it, and she refuses to use it.

She said I’m abusing her and should respect her more for choosing to support me for this long.

AITA?

Yikes! This mom sounds like something else.

Let’s see how the folks over at Reddit feel about her.

This person offers some solid advice.

Here’s a good question.

For this reader, it’s time to hire a lawyer.

According to this comment, she should learn more about her grandfather’s will.

She has a terrible mother!

If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.