Woman Goes From Millionaire Widow to Financial Ruin in One Year Because She Made One Choice that Changed Everything, and Her Daughter’s Reaction is Unthinkable.
In the midst of mourning her late husband, the Original Poster (OP) moves herself and her teenage daughter from a predictable life to an uncertain future in an extravagant Malibu home. Financial turmoil ensues, peaking when the OP makes the life-altering decision to liquidate her daughter’s college fund, shaking the foundations of their mother-daughter relationship.
A Sudden Loss
OP, a 50-year-old woman, is left widowed after her husband’s sudden death and is now the single parent of their 16-year-old daughter. Left with a significant inheritance from her husband, a successful doctor, she is advised by his lawyer to be cautious. She dismisses this advice, motivated by a desire to fulfill their dream of moving to a beach house in Malibu.
The Big Move
Embracing a fresh start, OP decides to sell her old home for an attractive offer. She moves with her daughter to Malibu, purchasing a stunning beachside property. This decision irks her late husband’s lawyer, who had cautioned her about the potential financial risks.
Costly Dreams
The move to the dream home brings unforeseen additional costs, which OP had not anticipated. Her daughter is thrilled with the new life, leading OP to feel she made the right decision. The escalating expenses, however, begin to strain their comfortable financial situation.
A Professional Fallout
In defiance, OP stops taking calls from her late husband’s lawyer, severing ties. In his place, she hires a money manager with the promise of passive income. Her decision puts her at odds with her late husband’s trusted adviser and the inheritance he left behind.
Misplaced Trust
The money manager proves to be unreliable, making poor investment choices that significantly reduce their funds. In a desperate attempt to mitigate the losses, OP decides to handle the investments herself. However, her inexperience leads to even greater financial losses, leaving the balance of the inheritance with a mere $35k and mounting debts within just two years’ time.
A Grim Reality
The financial crisis leaves OP capable of covering only one month’s mortgage on their Malibu home. In the absence of immediate clients for her business, she faces the reality of impending financial doom. The only significant amount left is in her daughter’s college fund, established by her late husband.
A Desperate Measure
Faced with limited options, OP makes the hard choice to liquidate her daughter’s college fund. She believes this will temporarily stabilize their finances and avoid further credit damages. This decision, however, risks destroying the future her husband had envisioned for their daughter.
A Daughter’s Rage
OP breaks the news to her daughter about the liquidation of the college fund. Her daughter is left furious and betrayed, feeling her father’s hard work and dreams for her have been squandered. She also expresses her unwillingness to support OP in her decision in any future and threatens to cut ties for good.
The Fallout
OP’s daughter declares she won’t be supporting her mother in retirement as a direct consequence of OP’s financial decisions. This escalates their conflicts and deepens the wedge between mother and daughter. OP is left with a fractured relationship with her daughter and a home on the brink of financial ruin.
A Public Appeal
Seeking outside perspective, OP takes her story to a public forum, asking if she is the antagonist for trying to fix her mistakes. She admits to her missteps, including the ill-advised investments and the liquidation of her daughter’s college fund. She defends her actions as desperate attempts to salvage their situation and maintain their home.
A Hard Reckoning
Despite the backlash, OP holds her ground, arguing that she was only trying to make ends meet. She questions her actions and choices, wondering if they were truly in the best interest of her daughter and their future. She is left to confront the harsh reality of her choices and their profound consequences.
Unseen Consequences
As public opinions on her situation continue to roll in, OP starts to question her decision. Did she inadvertently prioritize her dreams over her daughter’s future? In the face of these overwhelming doubts, she begins to grapple with the severity of her actions.
A New Resolve
Shaken by her daughter’s reaction and the public’s judgment, OP commits to fixing the situation. She starts by seeking professional financial advice, aiming to restore her dwindling finances. She also reaches out to her late husband’s lawyer, hoping to mend bridges and work towards a solution.
The Fight for Stability
OP works tirelessly to stabilize their financial situation, making cutbacks where she can and prioritizing necessary payments. She also works hard to find clients for her business to bring in additional income. Through her efforts, she manages to keep their home, albeit on thin ice, financially.
Was The Woman’s Behavior Appropriate?
The readers in the forum had a lot of mixed views on the matter. Here are some of their responses:
Forum Responded
Forum Responded
One reader said, “I wish this story to be fake…but then I remember how my aunt didn’t listen to my uncle’s lawyer after my uncle died and blew through all the money pretty quickly. At least she didn’t have any minor children that she was f****** over in the process, though.”
Another Commenter Thinks
Another responder wrote: “And now she has no money and no one to care for her when she is older, but don’t you worry; she will most definitely be back on here asking why her daughter won’t care for her after all the sacrifices she made for her, including buying the house every child would dream of growing up with the money she (OP) got after her husband was tragically killed.”
A Third View On The Story
A different person states, “So this whole time mom was spending money like crazy, she was assuming her daughter would pay for her retirement?
Imagine thinking you know better than a financial lawyer! This is horrifying. She could have gotten a nice house and still saved most of that money, but she got overexcited and completely screwed up her family’s situation. Stupid.”
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