Money decisions can sometimes complicate blended family dynamics.

The following story involves a man who helped support his stepson through college.

Now that the teenager is ready to drive, his biological dad decided to give him a car he could drive.

But when he was asked to split the costs of registration and maintenance, he flat-out refused.

Read the full story below to find out more…

AITA – Not splitting car maintenance for stepson

For reference, SS = stepson and BD = bio dad.

Am I being unreasonable?  My SS is now 18 and in college.

Rewind a few years back.

When SS turned 16 and was ready to drive, I budgeted to contribute $5k toward a used car.

BD said it’s not enough. He wanted to do $10k each.

This man refused to add more to his share of his stepson’s car.

I felt $20k for a first car is too much. I refused to increase my $5k budget.

BD let SS have his old car.

BD told me one day, I will give my car to my own daughter when the time comes.

This is something he planned on doing for his kid years before I came into the picture.

He also refused to split the cost of the car’s registration and maintenance.

One day, he asked my wife and me if I was willing to split registration and maintenance.

Because it’s his car and not under SS’s name, we both talked and refused.

Again, it’s his car. Now that SS is in college, BD is not allowing SS to drive to our home anymore.

This is because we are not paying for maintenance.

Now, he’s wondering if his decision was fair and reasonable.

SS drives all over, including coming 5 miles from our home.

Am I being unreasonable for not pitching in for his car expenses?

Everything else is split evenly. I contribute $6k per year for SS’s college.

BD pays $8k per year. So he pays a little more.

He may be mad about that as well.

Let’s check out the comments of other people on this story.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

This is just unreasonable, says this one.

Here’s a valid point from this person.

This user chimes in.

Finally, here’s another sensible remark.

Perhaps if the car is under his name, splitting the costs will be much simpler.

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.