Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why the OP even knows how much is in their niece/nephews college fund? Do you guys sit around talking about 529 plans and how much yo7 have invested?

I opened the fund and get copies of statements and deposit slips. I made sibling account holder though.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why the OP even knows how much is in their niece/nephews college fund? Do you guys sit around talking about 529 plans and how much yo7 have invested?

It's not unusual to know your sibling has put nothing in their kid's 529. Especially if you are contributing.

Maybe she knows her kids better than you. I saved for my much-younger half sister, who just dropped out. Her mom maybe was right not to save.

I don’t know why the OP even knows how much is in their niece/nephews college fund? Do you guys sit around talking about 529 plans and how much yo7 have invested?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow I am dismayed you are being criticized. You are doing a wonderful thing. Maybe talk to your niece/nephew + sister separately. It is your business contrary to crabby D.C.U.M. Folks. Family needs to look out for family. No one should turn out worse than their parents good luck + God speed!

No. OP is inserting herself into her sibling’s finances. She needs to butt out.

Actually, she's trying to help out niece/nephew. DH and I have talked about the same for SIL's kids, because they haven't saved nearly enough either. I wouldn't tell SIL to do anything different, though. That's not my place. I don't agree with all of the financial decisions that SIL makes, but she's not irresponsible by any means. She probably doesn't agree with all of the decisions we make.

At the end of the day, though, niece and nephew are clearly college-bound, and I don't want them to suffer a lifetime of debt. So we'll help out if needed. OP, focus on what you can do. You can't make your sister do anything different.

Nevermind-OP here so much hate! I suppose I can just contribute and the chips will fall where they may.

To the PP who suggested cash no freaking way! Judge me all you want but I hope that even the small amount will make a difference when kids are adults. Worse case they cash the money and hopefully they use it wisely. At least I tried.

It’s very nice of you to give financial gifts. But that’s where your job stops. It’s not your job or business to encourage your sister to save for college. That’s a big overstep. If you want to keep giving financial gifts, that’s very nice of you. But you honestly don’t have any responsibility to do that either. It would be interesting for you to have a conversation with your sister and your niece or nephew and ask them if they WANT the $500 or $1000 you give to be put in a 529 or to be given in some other way. To be frank, you might find out that they don’t actually appreciate your financial gifts as much as you think they should. Maybe they do! Or maybe they read it as judgement. You don’t know unless you ask.

I think you have done enough. Find peace and accept.

Not everyone has to go to college.

OP your sister assumes you and the rest of the family will pay for them, on her behalf. Clearly.

You really can't tell your sibling how to spend/save their money. It's nice for you to gift what you can for your niece/nephew but if the parents aren't motivated to save they will have to figure it out with aid. You can be a source of support, knowledge and encouragement when it comes to applying to college, if that's what they want. They may not, in which case they might want to use the 529 money for a certificate program or AA degree.

My ILs generally think college is a waste of money because most people they know who started college dropped out (DH being one of the exceptions). None of their 3 kids went to college but all (now late 20s-early 30s) are gainfully employed, one with his own business. Two own houses in their low-COL city. There's more than one path.

Anonymous wrote:MYOB

+100