in-laws

Your wife wants to help her brother’s floundering business, and she sees dipping into your retirement fund as a way to do that. It's critical that you both review what’s really at stake here.

When my in-laws came to town, I had one goal: prove I was the kind of son-in-law who had it all together—financially, socially, and yes, culinarily. So, I pulled out my credit cards and went full “champagne lifestyle.” Dinners at five-star restaurants, boutique shopping sprees, luxury rides—if it screamed “success,” I swiped for it. They were impressed. My bank, however, was not.

First things first: how did your in-laws end up on your house title? Was it a “surprise” family favor, a refinancing twist, or pressure from all sides? Understanding the backstory helps you figure out what really went down—and what your next steps should be. You can't fix something if you don’t know how it broke, so dig in and gather those details.