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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel so resentful about ex's inheritance?

90 replies

flyingtartar · 25/05/2021 22:01

We split up seven years ago following his infidelity- she was a mutual friend and the relationship didn’t last. He had been a sahp as he saw himself as a writer/musician and I have a career. He was okay at it but when we split he left as needed a break – he never tried to position himself as the main carer and definitely didn’t want the responsibility.

When we first got together his dm gave him £60k as a deposit on a house. We bought together and I paid about 90% of the mortgage I would have thought until we split. We weren’t great with money and were also hit by the 2008 crash and we also moved to a bigger house so when we split there was only about £38k equity in the house and no other assets aside from my pension. When we divorced he asked for me to buy him out and for a further 10k when ds2 turns 21 (will be 9 years from now). I was only eligible to borrow about £17k and he got about £12k after fees and debts had been settled. He was adamant he wanted none of my pension, which is quite a good one.

After the dust settled I put in a claim for CM as he refused to ever discuss it with me. He has the dc 4 nights per fortnight but never pays for anything at all – has nothing for the dc at his house so I have had to provide absolutely everything since we split. At that point he started sending abusive emails about ‘his £60k’ and how I had grasped it from him. Obviously, it didn’t exist anymore at the time we split and that was as much his fault as mine, probably more so as he would never prioritise earning money over ‘following his dreams.’

So now I am comfortable month to month but having to save for his fucking 10k and provide absolutely everything for the dc. I often worry about when the dc are in uni and other major costs that would floor me. It has always felt like everything is my responsibility. It took me until last year to get any CM from him and he now pays £100 per month for a 12 and 14 year old and provides fuck all else.

He’s just inherited from his dad, who died a couple of weeks ago, and dc have shown me a house on RM he has put an offer in on – it’s £170k so must be a huge inheritance as he would never get a mortgage and has nothing of his own. He will also inherit from his dm, probably more. He’s just quids in and it really stings, though I know this is horrible of me. I’ve struggled for years and will continue to and he is now loaded having done fucking nothing all his life and effectively been subsidised by me. I have no idea whether I will ever inherit but if I do it won’t be as much as him as my parents are together and I have a troubled relationship with my dad. I’ll have to hand over the £10k as well. I had a small inheritance (well, £30k didn’t feel at all small at the time) but would have to hand a 1/3 of it over to him yet he has thousands now so it would be a drop in the ocean. If he’d just tell me he has the kid’s uni costs sorted I’d feel a lot better, but even if he plans that he’d never tell me until the last minute. I also worry that he’ll start throwing money at the dc and they’ll want to live with him. It just feels so unfair and I know this also makes me a bad person.

OP posts:
Cattitudes · 25/05/2021 22:15

I imagine a 12 and 14 year old will have a fairly good idea by now of where they prefer to live. To share his inheritance you would need to have stayed with him for another 7 years, sounds fairly grim.

FillerAngel · 25/05/2021 22:21

His dad is dead. That’s a crappy way to homeownership. Try your best not to resent him. You sound like a good mother, with a strong work ethic and you have done well for yourself. He luckily now has the money to provide things for the children too so you can stop that.

I can promise that it may look like he is “loaded” to you, but he will likely always be crap with money and you are best off out of it with your good pension, solid job and sense of self worth.

PoppysMummy2021 · 25/05/2021 22:23

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HTH1 · 25/05/2021 22:23

So how have you agreed to paying the £10k? Is it legally binding?

Perhaps you could get more CM from him if he has inherited.

BlowDryRat · 25/05/2021 22:26

YANBU to feel that way. The thing is though, he's crap with money so he could have inherited millions and he'd still end up in financial troubles. It's short term, whereas your solid work ethic and commitment to your children will see you through.

It is galling though. I'm in a similar position with an amount owing to exH when the DC leave FT education. I was so tired of fighting him to just finalise the divorce that I agreed to it at the time but really wish I hadn't.

Falaffeleybollocks · 25/05/2021 22:27

Horrible for you and shit. So sorry you're going through this. I have found holistic approaches to grief, loss and anger have always helped me.

Potcallingkettle · 25/05/2021 22:31

Can you offset CM due against the £10,000 he has a claim on? Not sure on legality of this but worth a try.

Still1nLove · 25/05/2021 22:31

Unfortunately, some people always seem to land on their feet.

flyingtartar · 25/05/2021 22:31

His dad is dead. Have some respect ew

Well to be fair, he is spending the money before the funeral has even taken place so I'm not sure I owe more respect than he does.

The 10k is legally binding. What I would like, once some time has passed, would be to have a conversation about money in the light of this. If I knew, for example, that something had been put in place for the dc at uni or after, it would be a weight off my mind. However, he will not communicate with me at all so there's no chance of that. It does worry me to that he could piss it all up the wall before they ever benefit, but there is obviously nothing I can do about that.

OP posts:
StoneofDestiny · 25/05/2021 22:35

Can't you make a claim for increased CM now and for it to be backdated?
If the £10k isn't legally binding, don't pay.

Still1nLove · 25/05/2021 22:36

You are 100% right that you don’t owe anything to him or his grief. He doesn’t come across as someone who would have much consideration for his children’s financial well-being.

WorraLiberty · 25/05/2021 22:36

How has he put an offer in on a house before his dad's estate has been sorted?

PoppysMummy2021 · 25/05/2021 22:36

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WorraLiberty · 25/05/2021 22:37

Oh and don't worry about Uni (assuming your DC decide they want to go) as that's what student loans are for.

flyingtartar · 25/05/2021 22:40

How has he put an offer in on a house before his dad's estate has been sorted?

This was my thought exactly. Dc told me they viewed the house with him at the w/e (he had already viewed previously) and he told the vendor he would be okay for the money in about a month. It does seem odd to me - even if he knows how much he has coming it seems odd to be putting offers in until you actually have the money, but that's him all over. I wouldn't take my house off the market for him but it is now sttc on RM. I hope the dc aren't in for a disappointment.

OP posts:
StoneofDestiny · 25/05/2021 22:41

Cross post, sorry.
Not sure his dad's death earns him any respect - he sounds like a pig.

JumperooSue · 25/05/2021 22:43

This may not be an option but I’d try to apply for an increase in CM and keep it in a separate account, use it if you really need to but try not to touch it. What’s in there when your son turns 21 you can just give back to him towards the £10k.

tara66 · 25/05/2021 22:57

I think you can still make a claim regarding having some of his inheritance even though you divorced a long time ago. And also claim more for child maintenance and anything else you can think of. It is not uncommon for that to happen.

Allusernamesalreadyused · 25/05/2021 23:57

That's harsh on the OP
Please show some respect for a woman whose DH refuses to pay maintenance for THEIR kids. Jeeeeez

bp300 · 26/05/2021 00:20

@flyingtartar

How has he put an offer in on a house before his dad's estate has been sorted?

This was my thought exactly. Dc told me they viewed the house with him at the w/e (he had already viewed previously) and he told the vendor he would be okay for the money in about a month. It does seem odd to me - even if he knows how much he has coming it seems odd to be putting offers in until you actually have the money, but that's him all over. I wouldn't take my house off the market for him but it is now sttc on RM. I hope the dc aren't in for a disappointment.

If there's life insurance in trust he could have the money very quickly.
Kimonolady · 26/05/2021 00:29

Hi, I’m a family barrister specialising in financial remedies on divorce and two things come to mind:

  1. Did you get a financial remedy order when you divorced (either by going through the court process, or by lodging a consent order at court?) If not, and as long as you haven’t remarried, your financial claims against ex H should still be open, meaning that it may be possible for you to reach a settlement.
  2. If the above option isn’t available to you - yes, it is possible to apply for a variation of maintenance on the basis of notional income attributed to assets. Note that there is a primary residence exclusion, so if ex H uses his inheritance to purchase a property that he lives in full time, this won’t be viable - but if he leaves it in cash, or buys a second home, you would have a shot here.

Hope that helps!

Rachie1973 · 26/05/2021 00:31

I’d definitely put a proper CMS claim in.

SarahBellam · 26/05/2021 05:50

It might help you to think of it as future inheritance for your DC.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 26/05/2021 06:00

I suspect he's buying a house so he doesn't have to pay you more. However it's not a bad choice if he doesn't currently own. I honestly think you have to move on. His finances aren't your concern (other than CM) and I'm sure you wouldn't want him to know your financial affairs either.

starrynight21 · 26/05/2021 06:11

@tara66

I think you can still make a claim regarding having some of his inheritance even though you divorced a long time ago. And also claim more for child maintenance and anything else you can think of. It is not uncommon for that to happen.
Not so. You can't claim anything from your ex once the divorce is through. My ex tried that stunt when my Mum died and he got a big NO.
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