How can you tell if someone used to have money, but no longer does?

[Anonymous]

Look at their bank and investment accounts history

[Anonymous]

Inherited antiques and sometimes good art in a not great house. The crest on the family china is faded from use. The much-referenced family compound is gone.

[Anonymous]

A few years ago I had a boss who wasn't really wealthy but tried to live like it. He was just obsessed with looking wealthy and meeting wealthy people. He went into some extreme debt for his dream home, took regular vacations to Telluride, and his three kids went to the most expensive private. In the meantime his business was barely scraping by. I heard he sold the house and lives in a modest home in a modest neighborhood now, and his kids are in public. No divorce. It's hard to say if he doesn't have money any longer, or if he's finally come to terms with his actual financial situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Asks Jeeves to fetch his slippers before realizing that Jeeves left 20 years ago.

This made me laugh loud

[Anonymous]

They take on Donald Trump as a client. See Evan Corcoran.

[Anonymous]

They own the house on Kirke st in Chevy Chase that is currently for sale.

[Anonymous]

Martin Shorts character in Only Murders in the Building

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Home in disrepair. Yellow teeth. Dents in the Mercedes. Younger sibling(s) may go to public school while older one finishes at the private one.

Maybe they are lazy or other priorities? I see plenty of Asians with homes in disrepair, that is because they are busy shuttling kids to activities, have demanding jobs and just no time to work on the house (even outsourcing takes time to work through different contractor bids)

Asian homes in my UMC hood ALWAYS look nasty....zero yard maintenance....and don't even think about landscaping...what the hill is that? They are just too cheap to spend $$ on what is expected to be a norm within the community.

Norm set by who exactly? Those who bought $$$$ new construction homes or demolished older homes to build custom? I live in an area that was always considered affluent, but older homes got eventually replaced with huge super expensive homes and people with a different level of wealth moved in. Does it mean I have to keep up with this new crop of Joneses? I can't easily cough up 100K to redesign my landscaping to their standards.

True, for us, we have almost 100K in the bank right now earmarked for a kitchen renovation, but it is such a daunting task for us with two demanding jobs and two very active kids. Figuring out the kitchen layout, design, contractors and the disruption that will cause to our life. We both work from home, so its even more difficult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Home in disrepair. Yellow teeth. Dents in the Mercedes. Younger sibling(s) may go to public school while older one finishes at the private one.

This happened to someone I know. Bought a house with intention of fixing it up, but then the husband got indicted (politics) and the house wasn’t a priority. They had a Mercedes suv, but it was scratched and dented and old. The wife had to go back to work to pay for legally bills.

[Anonymous]

My in-laws have a friend who is penniless but used to be a world-class, internationally-ranked equestrian.

[Anonymous]

When the girlfriend leaves.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, a lot of times losing that much money and being that downwardly mobile is the result of mental illness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Makes a dress out of curtains and says "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again."

+1

[Anonymous]

They live in a motel in a town they own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, a lot of times losing that much money and being that downwardly mobile is the result of mental illness.

This--usually mental illness, including addiction issues.

Having spent some time in a very expensive rehab or boarding school for troubled teens is often a sad sign.