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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to tell potential BIL the truth.

248 replies

ForTheSakeOfFuck · 17/04/2016 22:02

Apologies in advance. To avoid drip-feeding this is going to be pretty long.

A few years ago, we found out that SIL had run herself into an epic amount of debt. The kind of amount that if you won it, you might even think about retiring. The details are pretty identifying so I can't go into them but it's enough to say that it was a combination of massive loans and burning through money that had been entrusted to her and she has literally nothing to show for any of it, ffs. Anyway, after she lost her house her DPs stepped forth and put another roof over her head. (I wouldn't have been so kind, but easier said when it's not your child.) All the while, they kept asking, "Have you told us about EVERYTHING you owe now?" and she kept swearing that she had, and then time and again, something new would come out from missed bills to unpaid bank loans. She is, by any standard, extremely secretive and would not have confessed to any of the debt had it not come out by accident, and she even tried to hide what she'd done via some ridiculously crap fraud that could have actually landed her in prison if the relative had wanted to go that far. In short, her finances are shot. If she does nothing but repay her debt for the rest of her life, she might finally clear it when she's seventy. She will never have a mortgage, she'll probably never get credit, and as far as her DPs are concerned, she can't have anything in her name for fear that it'll get frittered away, so she's effectively on permanent financial probation with them. (Again, not my choice of solution, but what can you do.)

Second factor: she's also a disaster with relationships. She either picks truly awful characters, or if she finds a semi-decent one, she goes so overboard with jealous control that she sends them running for the hills. None of her relationships make it past the two year mark and most die a gruesome death before six months. Finally, for good measure, she's increasingly desperate for babies (she has none so far), and time is moving on for her. Back to the present: A couple of months ago she started seeing someone new. He's a complete step-change from her past efforts - solvent, serious, quiet, hard-working, stable - in fact I'm kind of at a loss to figure out (a) why he isn't already taken and (b) what he sees in her. Whatever the case, DH and I think that if she has a shot of making a family happen with anyone, this guy would be a great option, BUT we don't think she's told him about her finances. She swears that she has, but knowing her character as I think I do, I wouldn't put it past her to have brushed it all off as "a little bit of money owed", if she's even said that much, and then rush to get pregnant, because, by her logic, he'd then be stuck with her. We're not sure what to do. Do we pull him to one side and make sure he really does have all the facts? Or do we stay out of it and let it all go however it's going to go? He's a nice guy and I think he deserves to know, but I'm also conscious that it's meddling in someone else's relationship and I'd be furious if someone did that to me. Then again, if she were a serial batterer, I wouldn't hesitate to tell him. I just don't know where the line is drawn here. Also, selfishly, if it all goes wrong and he leaves, it'll end up becoming our problem. She barely gets on with her DPs anymore - no surprise - and she can't even run her own household, so as a single mother there is simply no way she wouldn't end up crashing and burning.

In her favour, I want to say that she is a great auntie to our DCs - they bloody love her, and after a lot of failure and mess, I REALLY want her to finally have some stability and joy and a focus outside of herself in her life. I also think that with the right support around her - and maybe this guy could be it - she would probably grow into a great mother and partner. I would be properly and seriously delighted relieved if he knew the truth, and despite it, they could still live happily ever after, but what's the right way forward? Do we shut up and watch and wait? Or speak with the guy? Or what?? Wine and Chocolate if you read this far!

OP posts:
bewarethesavagejaw1984 · 18/04/2016 00:05

I am so sorry you had to go through that Clocks. What an utterly awful scenario for you. I hope the intervening years have seen some measure of your financial and emotional security returned. X

I do agree with you that people in a relationship are unlikely to heed such warnings.

SoftDriftedSnow · 18/04/2016 00:07

What?!

KittyKrap · 18/04/2016 00:08

Hmm. This bit -
At this stage, we can't even mention her debt in front of her because she blows up.

She's still in denial. She needs to take control and sort herself out. You can give her the tools with debt counselling/whatever but handing over cash isn't going to solve it. Neither is ruining a relationship. I saw a programme yesterday where they said the CAB take 6000 calls daily about debts, help is out there.

BillSykesDog · 18/04/2016 00:20

Kitty, if I had a debt and my SIL kept bringing it up I'd blow up too. I would never dream of bringing up my ILs financial situation in front of them or making remarks about it. That crosses a line, it's so rude.

ForTheSakeOfFuck · 18/04/2016 00:21

BillSykesDog My post was about a guy getting shafted, a baby being homeless, and how that could've been prevented, and somehow you managed to read that as me wanting to prevent her from having any relationship at all??

OP posts:
ForTheSakeOfFuck · 18/04/2016 00:24

BillSykesDog You have read the thread… right? The bit where I explain that I never mention it, DH rarely does, and her DPs do all the time…?

OP posts:
twirlypoo · 18/04/2016 00:31

"A baby being homeless"

She isn't even pregnant! Don't you think you might be projecting a smidgen in order to justify your cause?

Doinmummy · 18/04/2016 00:31

I can see your dilemma Op. I'd wait a while, if the relationship progresses her finances might come to light through the normal course of events.

Bogeyface · 18/04/2016 00:36

Tell him.

If this was a woman getting hooked up with a financially fucked up man then the MN answers would be very different.

The man needs to know.

Jennik4 · 18/04/2016 00:43

If it was me I'd pull him a side and check he knows. If she's told you she's already told him then he'll confirm that and it'll be the end of it. If she's not told him it's her fault for lying, but his life could be wrecked if he doesn't know and agrees to lend her money...

ForTheSakeOfFuck · 18/04/2016 00:45

twirlypoo That comes from a post that was a hypothetical worst case scenario…?

OP posts:
AcrossthePond55 · 18/04/2016 00:56

IMHO, OP would be happy if SiL married 'well'. It would solve (theoretically) SiL's money problems and give OP a sense of peace that she and her DH won't be asked to bail her out in future as that would be her husband's problem. At least that's the way I'd feel on the surface of things. BUT, just as OP does, I'd have a niggling sense of worry and a feeling of responsibility (as a fellow human being) that a very nice man was potentially either being deliberately taken advantage of by a woman out 'after the main chance' or through the ignorance of a woman thinking her massive debt and inability to handle money is 'no big deal'.

Financial abuse is still a form of abuse. If this man doesn't know the truth about SiL's debts then he's a potential victim of financial abuse (if he marries her). Reverse the genders and/or substitute substance abuse or domestic violence for 'massive debt' and do you all still think he doesn't have the right to know? That it would be the duty of those who do know to be sure he knows?

I guess OP and her DH could wait and see if things start to get serious (marriage talk) between them before DH having a talk with him.

As far as her getting pregnant to bind him to her, well, it does take two to tango. If he doesn't want children then he should be using a condom. He'll have to pay child support of course, as he should. But the days are long gone where a man can be forced to marry someone because she's pregnant.

Maryz · 18/04/2016 01:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EverySongbirdSays · 18/04/2016 01:06

"a guy getting shafted, a baby being homeless"

This is a situation entirely of your own hysteria invention OP

It literally does not exist outside of your own mind.

You need to come back to reality and get some perspective

LeaLeander · 18/04/2016 01:08

By all means he needs to know before he is legally tied to her. You mist take him aside and inform him before she ruins his life.

ForTheSakeOfFuck · 18/04/2016 01:09

EverySongbirdSays At the risk of repeating myself, yes, it was a hypothetical worst case scenario. It really doesn't exist and hopefully never will. I have no idea how the train has come off the tracks on this particular point. HmmConfused

OP posts:
EverySongbirdSays · 18/04/2016 01:13

It's because your entire train of thought has come off the tracks because you're inventing all kinds of what ifs to further your own argument for telling him.

What if, OP, you were to tell him, he loves her anyway, they have a baby, and they have absolute nothing to do with you much less need you for money or expect you to provide for their child?

Would that suit?

Why exactly are you doomsdaying?

ForTheSakeOfFuck · 18/04/2016 01:21

EverySongbirdSays The doomsday scenario was given in response to being asked by a number of PPs why this situation even affected us. I was trying to explain the scenario in which we would be affected. Ought I to have ignored the question?

I think I've said endlessly now that the ideal outcome for me is that she's told him, he's happy, they are a good match for each other, they have a gaggle of babies, and live happily ever after. That's my other hypothetical but it gets less attention for some reason.

OP posts:
springydaffs · 18/04/2016 01:33

Blimey, your thread has gone barmy the last couple of pages! take no notice op

I was going to pay exactly what Maryz posted about addiction. Because she is an addict imo and it is highly unlikely she has told her baby daddy boyf.

Addiction eh, it's dead ugly. Normal rules don't apply.

EverySongbirdSays · 18/04/2016 01:33

But.....based on the existence of this thread.....your other hypothetical is getting a lot less attention from you too.

Have you read the book The Power Of Now?

You need to try and live in the now.

I'm imagining potential BIL lets call him Bill.

Bill is sitting at home. Bill has a girlfriend. She seems nice. Does he love her yet? He isn't sure. Will he marry her one day? Hasn't even got there yet.

Meanwhile Bill discovers that his girlfriends brothers wife is stressing on the internet telling strangers about how she fears she will be responsible for his homeless child after his marriage breaks down over lies and debts.

Bill is freaked out by this. Understandably.

springydaffs · 18/04/2016 01:34

*going to post

Alasalas2 · 18/04/2016 01:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Damselindestress · 18/04/2016 01:37

I can see both sides. It's not directly your business and revealing the truth could have consequences for your relationship with your ILs but her boyfriend sounds nice and it could have consequences for him if she is concealing her debts. She wants children so it's not inconceivable that they might have a baby then the relationship might break down because of a revelation about her finances leaving her in a worse situation and more reliant on family help. It's easy for people to say it's not your business but she's not in a bubble and her actions affect others. If things go wrong you and the rest of the family would have to pick up the pieces. There is a somewhat similar situation going on with my BIL and his GF in that they decided to have a baby in a bad situation and now everything has gone wrong and the family are trying to help. There is even SS involvement. I know it's not the same situation but what I am saying is it's a situation where I saw this coming and wish I had told them TTC was a terrible idea but it was none of my business so I didn't. And the fallout has affected me and the rest of the family.

In your situation I wouldn't tell your SIL's boyfriend the truth directly but would impress upon her the importance of being honest with him to build a stable relationship.

springydaffs · 18/04/2016 01:37

And imo op's exasperation is par for the course for those near the epicentre of an addiction ie those close to, and dragged into, the catastrophic mayhem addicts cause.

PippaA007 · 18/04/2016 01:38

What can you do indeed? It all sounds a bit hypothetical. How does it affect you? How big is the debt? How much do you know about why she gets in debt? Why do you care? So much??

It sounds like you and your husband are short of things to talk about, so you talk about your SIL. Well instead of talking about her, why don't you talk TO her and then listen to her answers?

And while you're waiting for her answers, why don't you & husband go out and have some fun yourselves? You don't have to plough all your savings into the ground, but you could have a bit of fun.

And then you could report back to the forum on both your fun and your SIL's status ...