She Started Their Marriage with $30 Million and a Prenup, But A Cryptocurrency Catastrophe Forced Her to Rethink Their Financial Unity.
In a tale of love and wealth, a man known as the Original Poster (OP) marries into a family far wealthier than his own, leading to unexpected financial discord when their investment strategies clash. As their fortunes take divergent paths, they find their trust and relationship tested to breaking point, teetering on the edge of a decision that could change their lives forever.
A Start of Different Fortunes
OP, a man hailing from a low-income family, marries into extreme wealth. His wife starts their marriage with a net worth of $30 million dollars, while he bears the burden of $300k in student debt. In order to protect her wealth, she insists on a prenuptial agreement.
The Prenuptial Decree
Their marriage begins with a stringent prenuptial agreement that separates her inheritance from OP’s rights. He renounces his right to an “elective share,” which means upon her death, her estate will be divided amongst her siblings or potential children. This arrangement also keeps OP’s debt and their incomes separate.
The Bootstrap Promise
Despite his financial disadvantage, OP insists on being self-sufficient, refusing to lean on his wife’s fortune. Interestingly, the prenup stipulates that their incomes remain separate, a detail which OP agrees to, as he earns more active income than his wife. He accepts the prenuptial agreement without qualms.
A Wealth in Decline
Eight years later, OP’s wife’s financial circumstances begin to change. Though his net worth remains a fraction of hers, her investments haven’t been performing well, especially in recent years. OP’s wife, now with a significant majority of her investments in cryptocurrency, sees her fortunes dwindle.
The Crypto Catastrophe
She places her faith, and wealth, in a cryptocurrency called “Monero,” despite OP’s objections. As Monero plunges 47 percent over the year and the exchange FTX goes bankrupt, her net worth shrinks to around 18 million dollars. OP, on the other hand, sticks to traditional investments in index funds.
The Reality Check
One evening, OP comes home to find his wife distraught over the news of FTX’s bankruptcy. He offers sympathies and heads upstairs to change, leaving her to grapple with her new financial reality. The stark contrast in their reactions hints at an impending conflict.
Accusations and Defenses
Upon returning downstairs, OP faces an emotional tirade from his wife, accusing him of being nonchalant about her financial losses. He counters by pointing out that she’s still significantly wealthier than most people and suggests she could avoid such losses by ceasing her crypto investments. He further highlights the separation of their finances, a condition she had wanted herself.
The Secret Investments
OP, driven by the need to secure his own financial stability, has been steadily investing in US index ETFs. He notes that over the years, he has built his savings to around $2 million. His wife, unaware of his investments and finances, continues to dwell on her crypto misfortune.
The Bankruptcy Fallout
The fallout from the FTX bankruptcy becomes more serious in the wife’s investments. Her remaining funds in crypto continue to plummet, creating financial panic.
The Unseen Dependence
Despite her initial insistence on keeping their finances separate, OP’s wife begins to lean on him for emotional and financial support. She feels the sting of her financial losses, especially as she perceives OP as indifferent.
A Strained Union
Their marriage faces unprecedented strain due to their separate financial positions and views. OP’s wife feels betrayed by his lack of empathy, while OP struggles to understand why he should now be part of his wife’s financial matters. Their relationship teeters on the edge as they try to navigate this new terrain of mistrust and anger.
Was The Man’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
One reader said, “The whole backstory doesn’t matter – you agreed to it, you say yourself you felt fine with having separate finances. So it’s unrelated, and what you’re actually asking is, ‘Am I wrong for not listening to or supporting my wife when she was upset.’”
Another Commenter Thinks
Another responder wrote: “I am not rich. Sometimes I do wonder why some of the silliest people get money, and the rest of us don’t.”
“How do people this foolish even get the money in the first place? For the record, if I had 30 million dollars, even with a prenup, I still would offer to pay my husband’s student debt as a wedding gift.”
A Third View On The Story
A different person states, “Dude, I was expecting to be on your side….but then it turns out all she wanted was an ear to vent to/shoulder to cry on. She didn’t ask you for a dime.
You should never have signed a prenup. If it angered you so much, you’d be this salty years later. I would never sign a prenup, so I get why you’d be mad, but then you don’t get married. You instead got married and apparently have been carrying a big old ball of resentment around since day 1.”
What Do You Think?
What are your thoughts on their actions?
What would you have done in this situation?
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