Man stands his ground when fiancée requests to use his bonus to pay off her parents' mortgage

Many people spend years saving to buy their dream home and secure their future as they grow older. Yearly bonuses from work can often provide valuable support toward achieving this long-term goal. But what happens when someone else has their eyes on these savings and desperately needs them to avoid a financial crisis? A man recently faced this predicament when his fiancée expected him to help pay off her parents' overdue mortgage. The 30-year-old Reddit user, u/Beastie420, initially refused to bail out his future in-laws but was left conflicted after his fiancée had an emotional meltdown.

In his post, the tech professional shared his excitement about receiving a $50,000 year-end bonus after a successful year at work. “I recently received a significant year-end bonus — $50,000 — and I was thrilled. I’ve been saving for years to buy a house,” he wrote, adding that the money was earmarked for his house fund. Initially, his 28-year-old fiancée was supportive of his achievement. However, the mood quickly shifted when she asked him to set aside $25,000 of the bonus to help her parents pay off their overdue mortgage. Her unexpected request left him surprised and unsure about how to proceed.

“Apparently, her parents have been struggling financially, and she feels it’s ‘only fair’ since we’re going to be married and they’re going to be my family too,” he shared. Despite sympathizing with their situation, he ultimately decided against using his bonus to help. “I’ve worked extremely hard for this money, and while I feel for her parents, I don’t think it’s my responsibility to bail them out—especially when I’ve never even been asked directly by them,” he explained. His refusal angered his fiancée, leading to an argument where she called him selfish and accused him of “not caring about her family.”

Amid the argument, the fiancée brought up how her parents had "sacrificed so much" and insisted that paying off their mortgage was the least he could do. “She’s been cold to me ever since. She’s also told her parents about my bonus without my permission, and now I’m getting guilt-tripped by them,” the man revealed. While her parents hadn’t directly asked him for money, they began making remarks about how “lucky” he was. Despite explaining that the bonus was meant to secure their future with a house, his fiancée remained unrelenting in her demands.

“What future?” his fiancée retorted, accusing him of not caring for the people important to her. The man shared, “I don’t think I should have to justify how I use my bonus, but now even my own friends are split on whether I’m being reasonable or stingy.” His post sparked a mix of reactions, with opinions divided on whether he was right to prioritize his own goals or should have supported his fiancée’s family. “Pretty sure this is going to be the rest of your life. You being expected to pay for her and her family. If you want that, go for it,” commented u/Far-Season-695. “The level of entitlement is astounding. Run like the wind. Don’t look back. If she is like this before marriage, imagine how bad she will be after,” u/Equivalent-Roll-3321 wrote.