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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Are WBU? Financial gifts to nieces / nephews

100 replies

PlumsInTheIcebox · 22/05/2018 12:00

NC for this as some of the details are pretty specific.

DH and I came into some money about five years ago. We took the decision to give some money to our nieces and nephews, and created trusts for BIL’s three daughters and for my sister’s son. The children will be able to access the funds when they are 18. At the time, both families were complete but we have always intended that if either sibling were to have another child, we would do the same for them.

About 12 months later, BIL’s wife left him for the OM after an affair. They have, to their credit, both behaved pretty decently about the divorce and subsequent implications and everything is pretty amicable. They share custody and we still see BIL’s exW a few times a year at family events, usually her children’s birthday celebrations.

BIL’s exW is now expecting a child with her new DP, who will of course be a half sibling to our nieces. At the most recent family event she came over to sit with DH and me and after some small talk asked us about our plans to create a trust for her unborn child. We were both a bit stunned but DH managed to gather himself to explain that it wasn’t our intention to create a trust for her child with her new partner. She accused us of using her unborn child to punish her for cheating on and leaving BIL and stormed off.

DH is absolutely adamant that his loyalty is to his brother, not to his exW and any further children that she may have, and I am inclined to agree with him. Are we BU not to match our previous gifts for this or any other children that she may have?

OP posts:
DesignedForLife · 22/05/2018 12:38

That's a whole new level of brazenness! YADNBU.

Cupoteap · 22/05/2018 12:39

That's hilarious what is wrong with some people!!!

Trooperslane2 · 22/05/2018 12:39

Anyone else or just me seeing CF written everywhere - there's even a car in our street now with the reg no XX18 CFS and in my head CFS = cheeky fucker syndrome :)

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 22/05/2018 12:40

It’s a good one. Maybe she shouldn’t have left the golden egg laying family of her husband then? Hmm

Dvg · 22/05/2018 12:40

Hahaha YANBU , Her unborn child isn't your family as she is his ex wife .. i find it amusing she actually thought that was how it went :S

Trooperslane2 · 22/05/2018 12:40

And make sure she doesn't guilt trip your nieces about it. Which is why I think you should tell BIL, and tell him that you have only told him because of that, not because you're trying to start a fight.

UserInfinityplus1 · 22/05/2018 12:43

CF award of the week! No YADNBU

veggiethrower · 22/05/2018 12:43

How ridiculous. CF.
She could go on to have 3 children with her new partner - are you supposed to pay for them all?

Tillybilly1 · 22/05/2018 12:44

The arrangement was made when the child didn't exist and they don't know you haven't committed money elsewhere, also if she hadn't had affair then maybe as child would actually be related then you might have thought of doing something so child not left out but she has shown her colours and will probably be after her other children's money too so I definitely wouldn't do anything in case she ends up with that too.
How awful for her to ask you, it's certainly not her place, if she feels this child will be disadvantaged it really is up to her to get a job and earn the money and think her actions through or to ask the actual family of the new baby, she chose to hurtfully leave your family which certainly doesn't deserve to be rewarded! Don't let her treat you like a cash cow to be milked, feel no obligation to her or the baby. There are plenty of deserving charities out there!

missbattenburg · 22/05/2018 12:44

She accused us of using her unborn child to punish her

If these were her words then that speaks volumes to me.

Punish HER, not punish the unborn child. She sees herself as being involved with that money somehow...

duchessofsussex · 22/05/2018 12:45

How bloody cheeky. This child has nothing to do with you and your family.

mmgirish · 22/05/2018 12:46

That is incredible. Some people are just pure brass.

sockunicorn · 22/05/2018 12:46

Im so confused. It may be their half brother or sister but its nothing to do with YOU. its not your niece or nephew. And she hasnt maintained a relationship with you (one outside her children). Shes a CF and of course you shouldnt be doing this. I would also tell BIL just incase she twists the story or tries to make you out to be the bad guys.

However if you decide to do the trust fund please can I also request one for my DD Wink

Motoko · 22/05/2018 12:48

I do think you should tell BIL what she said, he needs to keep an eye on things so she doesn't try to manipulate the children regarding their money.

I'm also waiting for a certain poster to come and tell you you're being unreasonable, because "it's faaaamily"!

TitZilla · 22/05/2018 12:50

I think you should tell BIL. She might try and influence your nieces and nephews to share their inheritance in the interest of ‘fairness’ when the time comes. He needs to be aware to make sure something like that doesn’t happen

Ghostontoast · 22/05/2018 12:51

No good deed goes unpunished!

If she brings up the subject gain, I would say that it is for her, her DP and his family to step up, if they so chose.

FizzyGreenWater · 22/05/2018 12:54
Shock

She has some front, I'll give her that!

FizzyGreenWater · 22/05/2018 12:55

Oh and yes I would tell BIL- I would give him a heads-up simply because it's so utterly out of order he probably needs to know her attitude towards the trusts - agree that she could well put pressure on her older children to 'share' with their disadvantaged sibling. Time for BIL to start emphasising now that that sibling has a whole other family who may well shower them with gifts that the older three won't be having, and that's the normal thing to happen.

She is a cheeky cow indeed.

ILikeMyChickenFried · 22/05/2018 12:57

The Daily Mail will love this..m

LeighaJ · 22/05/2018 12:59

Wow I'm shocked that she even had the gall to ask. Some people are simply unbelievable.

banivani · 22/05/2018 13:00

She is very unreasonable - has she never read Jane Austen fgs - it's hardly strange for half-siblings to have different starts in life.

HappyLollipop · 22/05/2018 13:02

What a CF! She's having a baby with another man and expected her ex-husbands family to create a trust fund for the baby who's not even related to you lot, She's being beyond unreasonable to even think that's something you'd do! Personally I'd leave it up to your neices whether or not they would like to split their money with their new half-sibling.

Rikalaily · 22/05/2018 13:04

I'd tell her that if it's ALL of HER children or none, then you will be closing the trusts and all of HER children can have the same, which is nothing. I'd then use the money to pay for BIL to take the kids on holiday every few years, as he can do what he likes with HIS children.

PlumsGalore · 22/05/2018 13:06

Is she really that dim that can't see how ridiculous her request is?

justforthisthread101 · 22/05/2018 13:11

Well, that's the weirdest case of pregnancy brain I've ever heard of!

Another one to add to unanimity here.

This child isn't your relative!

I agree that you tell BIL too. It may come back to bite him and forewarned is forearmed.