A Father Intervened When His Son’s Aunt Used “Financial Aid Management” to Control His College Funds—Forcing a Total Transfer to His Son’s Personal Account
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It is great when family helps each other out, but sometimes things become more overbearing than they should be.
What would you do if you found out that your son’s aunt created an account for him to help him with college expenses, but it was actually just for his grant money, but the aunt was still telling him what to do with it?
That is what happened in this story, so the father got upset with the aunt and had his son move the money into another account, which upset the aunt.
It honestly doesn’t seem like the aunt had bad intentions, even if it wasn’t a good thing. Read through the full story below and see what you think.
AITAH? Son’s financial aid disbursement
For context: My children have lived with me since 2014 and have not spoken to their mother since 2021.
Relationships can be complicated, that’s for sure.
About 2 years ago, my ex-in laws invited me and my 2 children to lunch. These people are my ex’s aunt and grandmother.
They wanted to see my children and had to talk to me about some stuff. Whatever, I’m an adult and can fake it for the sake of my children.
She sounds very generous.
I absolutely do NOT care for these people in the slightest and would not be upset if I never hear from them again.
Last summer, my son says auntie is going to open him a bank account for the sole purpose of helping him with gas and food while he’s commuting to a 2 year college. Cool, doesn’t involve me, good for you son.
There is no such thing as completely free money.
A few months later, he goes to Comicon or some deal in Atlanta. Later after that weekend he says “auntie gave me crap about using that account ‘for pleasure’ and not to do it again.”
“Nothing I can do son. Free money is always cool, but a person giving it to you can always hold that against you.”
What is she doing, exactly?
Then, about two weeks ago my son and I were discussing his plans for next semester and I asked him if there was ever any Pell grant money leftover after it pays out his tuition and books.
“Yeah auntie has that direct deposited into that account she made.”
Why should the aunt have access to this account at all?
I was instantly livid. I asked if she had deposited anything besides the initial 500 to open the account. Nope.
Looking in the account history the federal government has deposited around 3700 in this account over 3 semesters.
He is smart to get this taken care of.
His most recent deposit was 600. I told him to go get that out of the ATM. After this there is around 1700 in the account.
I also had my son immediately change the routing of his financial aid disbursement to his own bank account.
How is this any of her business at all?
I called auntie and was polite and cordial. She got heated when I asked her why she thought she could dictate how my son was to spend his own money.
It basically boils down to “he’s not responsible enough to handle that much money without my oversight” blah blah. I told her she could dictate what he spent money on if that money came from her.
The aunt may have had the best of intentions.
I was in my son’s position years ago. Friends and I would take our financial aid checks and do stupid stuff with it. But those are his financial decisions (and mistakes) to make.
Auntie sent me a text message so long you have to scroll to see it all. Pretty much “I never had ill intentions just looking out for your son and trying to help him, but since you messed that up you can help him with money.”
He should have talked to his son about it first.
I told her she has absolutely no authority over money that the US government awards to my son.
Should I have stayed out and let this run its course?
AITA?
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While he is right, he should have talked to his son to see if this is what he wanted. If not, he is causing some drama for no reason.
Read on to see what the people in the comments have to say about it.
He should have looked into this earlier.
Was the aunt taking any money?
Here is someone who thinks he should look more closely at where the money went.
He wants what is best for his son.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a mom who has to explain to her kids why they can’t keep the baby snake they found as a pet.
This person says he did the right thing.
The aunt was out of line, but she seems to have had good intentions. Dad should have let his son decide how to handle this.
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