Brother Loaned His ‘Broke’ Sister $3K Two Years Ago — She Refuses To Pay It Back, Despite Receiving A $30K Inheritance
The money she owes him is only a fraction of the $30,000 inheritance.
Basicdog / Shutterstock Mixing family and money is rarely a good idea. You never know what will ensue when you loan someone money to get through a hard time. There’s a good chance they’ll take it, but will you get it back?
One man is learning these realities in real time after loaning his sister $3,000, which she hasn’t paid back, despite coming into a windfall of money since then.
The brother is still waiting for his sister to pay him back $3,000 after she inherited $30,000.
The man took to Reddit to ask for advice regarding his family problems after his sister refused to pay him back just a fraction of the money she inherited.
“Two years ago, I lent my sister $3,000 to be repaid when our $30,000 inheritance from our grandmother came in,” he wrote. “It was supposed to come in within months, but it took two years due to numerous reasons.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t a smooth two years for the family.
“During those two years, my sister and her husband went into debt to have a six-figure wedding,” he continued. “Shortly after, it appears both of them started having issues with their incomes and have also been struggling with their debt. Her husband owns a few restaurants. Apparently, they aren’t doing well enough to support their lifestyle.”
The brother concluded that it’s been “just a complete and utter financial disaster.”
Despite the inheritance coming in, the brother continued biding his time. He did not demand that his sister pay him back his money right away but still wanted to receive it in a reasonable timeframe. His sister, however, had other ideas.
“I patiently wait for the inheritance to finally come in, and then my sister messages me saying she is not going to pay me until she fixes her situation,” he recounted. “They are selling their share of a business, and I’ll get paid then.”
The brother waited for some time longer before getting back in touch with his sister once more.
He said, “Hey, do you have an update on repaying me? I was supposed to get paid back after the inheritance came. My loan to you was just 10% of the inheritance. What did you do with the inheritance funds?”
He explained that given the influx of money, he sees no justification for her lack of repayment. "I heard she [had] invested a portion of it in the market. I strongly feel that paying me back takes precedence over investing (gambling?),” he added.
The brother may have legal recourse.
Pigeon Loans says, “When clear, consistent payment reminders and communication don’t work, lenders may consider legal action to collect an unpaid loan.”
However, a lot depends on the loan agreement and whether or not it is in writing.
“Before doing anything else, check if you have a written loan agreement,” Pigeon Loans said. “When signed, a loan contract or promissory note is the backbone of a loan dispute. Ideally, you’ll have documents that clearly state the loan principal, interest rate, payment due dates, and any other crucial info.”
When fellow Reddit users asked if the brother had any written proof of the agreement between him and his sister, he responded, “Yes, I do, over text.”
It is unclear exactly what this text agreement includes, but there is a possibility it is not as strong as a written agreement or legally binding, particularly since nothing was signed. Again, the exact circumstances are unclear.
While it may not be certain if this man can do anything legally, what is certain is that he deserves to have his $3,000 paid back. Or, as some people suggested in the comments, he could choose to forgive the loan as a kind gesture to his sister.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.