The 28-year-old woman, who goes by "Vedoric" on Reddit, revealed that she "recently won a significant amount of money in the lottery. It wasn't a jackpot, but it was enough to make a big difference in my life - around $500,000 (pretax)."
She went on to say that she's always been careful with money and had a plan for her winnings. However, her plans have been thrown into disarray after her financially reckless brother found out about her win and asked for help.
Her initial plan was to use the money to clear her student loans, put down a deposit on a house, and possibly start a small business she's "always dreamed of." But now, her 32-year-old brother wants a piece of her fortune.
"He's been struggling financially for years due to poor money management and some bad luck," she explained, adding that "he has a lot of debt.", reports the Express US .
According to her, her brother initially called to "congratulate" her but then immediately asked for $30,000 to settle his debts and "get back on his feet." While she sympathizes with him, she expressed concern that "giving him such a large amount of money won't really solve his problems in the long term" as she's "seen him blow through money before."
She concluded: "I worry that this would just be another cycle." She revealed that she offered to "help him create a budget plan and even give him a smaller amount, like $5,000, to help with immediate needs, but he got really upset."
She went on to say that he accused her of being "selfish and not caring about family," and mentioned that her parents are also "split on the issue."
"My mom thinks I should help him out because 'family helps family,' but my dad agrees that my brother needs to learn to manage his own finances," she shared. The sister posted on Reddit: "I feel conflicted because I do care about my brother, but I also believe in being responsible with my money and making sure it lasts."
She ended by asking users if she was wrong for "not giving my brother a larger portion of my lottery winnings despite his financial struggles?" Reddit users responded in the comments to give the lottery winner their thoughts on the matter.
"It is your money to do with as you wish," one user commented. "After taxes, it will seem to be a lot of money. But do the math [about] your own expenses in your life, and you will realize it won't last nearly as long as it might seem."
"It's a good buffer to give [yourself] some room to feel more comfortable taking some risks and pursuing your own life goals," they continued. "Take advantage of that, protect it, and ignore the noise from others."
Another user added: "Most lottery winners end up bankrupt because they feel like they have to give money to every rat that crawls out of the woodwork. He [the brother] will blow through any money you give him and be back for more," they continued.
"If you want to help out, buy him a grocery store gift card so he can buy food or gas." A third warned: "Never mention a sudden windfall to anyone."
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