Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to expect my husband to pay me back for deposit money?

114 replies

Handlepop · 29/08/2026 22:24

If you’re married with young kids, how do you share finances?
Do you have a joint account?
I’m 30 and married and we have 2 toddlers.
I prefer to keep my money separate to my husband. For a long time I was the breadwinner as he was in training for his role and so I built up savings and investments. We both contribute to household bills and things for the kids, and have roughly an equal amount of “fun money”.
Recently he’s brought a well run franchise and needed money for the deposit (around £30k) so of course I gave it. When I told my friends I expect it back later they were surprised and said it’s his too.

My sister went through a messy divorce and ended up with nothing and me and husband are happily married I just feel more comfortable having my own foundation, is that unreasonable?

OP posts:
ChaliceinWonderland · 29/08/2026 22:28

You lent him 30k ? Honey you need a signed solicitors letter saying he owes you that, if you didn't get one, wave goodbye to that money.
My exh took1000s off me, I learnt the hard way..

Handlepop · 29/08/2026 22:29

ChaliceinWonderland · 29/08/2026 22:28

You lent him 30k ? Honey you need a signed solicitors letter saying he owes you that, if you didn't get one, wave goodbye to that money.
My exh took1000s off me, I learnt the hard way..

We actually did get a letter done for this and that’s another reason why my friends were baffled that I expect to have it given back to me when the business is stable

OP posts:
Peoplemakemedespair · 29/08/2026 22:30

Not unreasonable to expect it back if it came out of your personal money and not the joint pot. Not everyone has to have the same opinions and system. The question is did you make it clear it was a loan?

Peoplemakemedespair · 29/08/2026 22:31

ChaliceinWonderland · 29/08/2026 22:28

You lent him 30k ? Honey you need a signed solicitors letter saying he owes you that, if you didn't get one, wave goodbye to that money.
My exh took1000s off me, I learnt the hard way..

‘Honey’, some people are ethical and able to sort their own affairs without having to involve solicitors.

ACR7 · 29/08/2026 22:43

It’s hard for me to understand as we’ve always just pooled money and made decisions together. I earn more but he got a lump of money from early inheritance but it all goes in the same pot so I can’t imagine drafting up legal agreements with my husband. Each to their own though and as long as you’re both happy it shouldn’t matter what your friends think.

NotAnotherScarf · 29/08/2026 22:44

Jesus what a sad world that we all expect our marriages to end and need to scrimp and squabble over every penny.

You want paying back when, if you divorced, you'd get half of the business he's built up.

It's just sad. Really it is

TheFormerMrsTruelove · 29/08/2026 23:15

I just feel more comfortable having my own foundation, is that unreasonable?

Not unreasonable at all, but would it be your own foundation? Or, if you have thousands stashed away, would it need to be declared in the event of a divorce so it could be divided between you? The same as his business would? Unless you’ve stashed it in cash somewhere a forensic accountant with a bloodhound couldn’t find it.

Epdrenching · 29/08/2026 23:33

Not unreasonable at all.

MeganM3 · 29/08/2026 23:44

A signed ‘declaration of trust’ or a postnuptial agreement isn’t water tight by a long shot. Once you’re married assets are collective between you both. In the event of a divorce the collective marital assets won’t be seen as your pot and his pot. It’s all joint and would be split according to the judges decision, if either party puts a case forward.
So he shouldn’t ‘pay’ you should have access to your joint finances and vice versa. It is marriage not dating.

KnickerlessParsons · 29/08/2026 23:45

We don’t have “my money”
and “his money”. Any money either of us earns is for the family and all goes into and comes out of the joint account.
I can’t imagine a world where I’d have my own investments, for my own use only.

As to giving your DH £30k, but wanting it back - isn’t this franchise for thr common good! Ie a joint investment that will benefit the whole family? You’re set up is weird.

KitsyWitsy · 29/08/2026 23:47

What does marriage even mean to you.?

JLou08 · 29/08/2026 23:53

Everything is shared with my DH. I couldn't imagine living another way. Isn't the sharing of finances one of the main components of marriage? It's not much more than a nice day out with a certificate otherwise.

LemonTT · 30/08/2026 00:22

People can have their own money and assets in a marriage. There is a requirement to provide but not share everything. If you have agreed he will repay the money whilst married that is matter between you.

A divorce is when everything assets get shared to make both parties equal. A post nuptial agreement would in the first instance need to be agreed following impartial and independent legal advice. If that hasn’t been taken it is worthless. It can also be irrelevant if it conflicts with statutory entitlement.

Fireflicking · 30/08/2026 00:25

I can understand them seeing it as strange as if you were to divorce, surely assets would be split 50/50

Teenagerantruns · 30/08/2026 00:37

We are married, two woman if its any relevance, we absolutely have our own bank accounts and separate savings,we do spilt the bills and don't have joint children if that makes a difference?
I would lend my wife anything she needed but would expect it back, l havecl to think about my adult children's future. My ex kids dad ,completely ripped me of and left me in so much debt and homeless im not ever going to be in that position again.
Things have changed over the years im now main breadwinner so l pay for more fun stuff, when she was she did.
So l think separate finances absolutely fine.

Beepen · 30/08/2026 01:12

If for some reason things change and he becomes the main breadwinner will presumably you will be happy for him to squirrel away lots of savings and treat them as his.

I don't think you are necessarily being reasonable or unreasonable, as long as you would think it fair if the situation reversed. DH and I have switched who is main breadwinner a couple of times so I am glad we have behaved consistently

Pellig · 30/08/2026 04:39

MeganM3 · 29/08/2026 23:44

A signed ‘declaration of trust’ or a postnuptial agreement isn’t water tight by a long shot. Once you’re married assets are collective between you both. In the event of a divorce the collective marital assets won’t be seen as your pot and his pot. It’s all joint and would be split according to the judges decision, if either party puts a case forward.
So he shouldn’t ‘pay’ you should have access to your joint finances and vice versa. It is marriage not dating.

Maybe, but it can show evidence of intent to a judge

DooDallyHallie · 30/08/2026 04:45

Peoplemakemedespair · 29/08/2026 22:31

‘Honey’, some people are ethical and able to sort their own affairs without having to involve solicitors.

If they are married i thought all assets, were joint

Bringemout · 30/08/2026 05:24

We pool and I don’t get the point of getting married if everything is going to be separate. Plus peoples fortunes change and you may be on the upside of such an arrangement at one point and find you are very much on the doswnside of it at another point in time. Plus once you are married any assets you accumulate are always at risk during a divorce.

Having said that if thats what you agreed to then thats what you agreed to and you both signed up to it, as long as theres no financial abuse then fair enough.

Snoken · 30/08/2026 06:01

As someone who has gone through a divorce I think it's wise to have at least some of your own money. Even if the divorce will result in you having a share of the total assets it's important to have access to money in the early stages too, especially if you need to find money for a rental deposit or pay solicitors. I know some solicitors are fine with getting paid once the settlement is done, but not all. There are many women who can't afford representation so they get shafted when the man gets a shit hot lawyer.

AmnesiacsDream · 30/08/2026 06:04

Providing the two of you are happy with how you handle your money (and no one is being taken advantage off) what your friends think is irrelevant.

When one partner puts themself in a financially vulnerable situation for the sake of the other partner, I think joint accounts (or some other mechanism that gives the vulnerable partner fair access to money) is essential. And if one partner lives a far swankier lifestyle while the other is unable, then I think you're probably looking at a pretty horrendous relationship. But in other than those situations, separate money just means you manage your money separately. It's not a fundamental indicator of the relationship you have.

Willope · 30/08/2026 07:28

Peoplemakemedespair · 29/08/2026 22:31

‘Honey’, some people are ethical and able to sort their own affairs without having to involve solicitors.

The use of ‘Honey’ is deeply patronising. Fuck off with your ‘honey’!

TFImBackIn · 30/08/2026 07:39

It's a business loan, not a personal loan. If you'd lent him the money to go on holiday, that would be different but surely there are tax reasons for declaring it to be a business loan?

cloudtreecarpet · 30/08/2026 08:32

Yet another thread about how married people today don't share their money and assets and see everything as separate.

Why are people getting married if they want to keep everything separate?
I understand keeping finances separate but I don't understand getting married if you want to do this?

Grumpyoldcat · 30/08/2026 08:35

Not unreasonable to want it back. However, are you going to share any of the profits?