Student Makes ‘Sacrifices’ to Save Money on School, but Parents Say Her Twin Will Get What’s Left of the College Fund

A woman sought advice from the Reddit community amid a growing conflict with her twin sister over their shared college fund, which currently holds about $63,000. She’s wondering if she’s being unreasonable for wanting to benefit fairly from the sacrifices she’s made.

“My parents set up a brokerage account for me and my twin sister with around $55,000 total, which has grown to about $63,000 now,” she shared. The account was initially intended to cover both their college expenses but has since become a point of contention within the family.

The original plan involved using the money to pay off loans they’re currently taking until the investments mature. “We are waiting for them to mature, so we are just pulling out loans until then,” she explained, questioning whether this approach might be flawed.

Though both sisters are borrowing for school, the poster made several cost-saving choices that her sister did not. “I got scholarships and chose to commute from home to save money,” she wrote, contrasting with her twin who decided to live on campus and now faces higher expenses.

Thanks to her frugality, she believes her share of the account will cover all her college costs and leave some extra. “I’ll likely have enough from my ‘half’ of the account to pay off all my college costs and still have money left over,” she noted.

However, her father has indicated that any leftover funds from her portion would instead be redirected to her sister’s fund. “My dad is saying that whatever is left over from my portion will go to my sister’s fund,” she said, expressing frustration that her efforts might not benefit her directly.

She had hoped to keep the leftover money as an emergency fund after graduation. “I was hoping to use the leftover amount as an emergency fund for when I move out after college,” she added.

Attempting to find a compromise, she proposed splitting any leftover funds with her sister. “To try to be fair, I offered a compromise,” she explained. “I would use the amount needed from my share to pay for my college, and whatever is left, I would split 50/50 with my sister.”

Her sister appeared receptive, but uncertainty remains since their parents have made their stance clear. “She’s also leaning toward just taking all of it—mainly because my parents are siding with her and said the money will just go to her unless she speaks up for me,” she said.

The user is growing increasingly frustrated after years of saving, only to feel overlooked. “I made those sacrifices—commuting and getting scholarships—specifically to save money,” she emphasized.

If her sister insists on claiming the entire leftover amount, she’s considering a significant change. “I’m honestly considering just living on campus and using my half for that,” she admitted. “I might as well benefit from it directly and get the full college experience instead of continuing to make sacrifices that don’t benefit me in the end.”

The Reddit user also revealed she transferred schools early on to be more financially responsible. “I transferred from a school where I had to pay on-campus housing costs to a closer school for the sake of saving money by commuting,” she explained. “And it is also a better school in general.”

She estimates that by continuing to manage her money wisely, she could cover all her college expenses — even if she rents an apartment. “I would have about just enough to pay for my whole college with the fund if I decide to get an apartment for the rest of my 3 years left in college,” she said.

Although both brokerage accounts are managed by her father, she and her sister are the official beneficiaries. “Both accounts are managed by my dad but we are the beneficiaries of both accounts,” she noted.

She also shared that part of the account’s current balance comes from her own earnings. “$8k of the money is money I contributed while working in HS,” she added.

Some commenters supported her stance, with one saying, “You’re not being selfish, you’re setting boundaries after making smart sacrifices.” Another criticized the situation’s unfairness: “Having one blow it on non-essentials and the other one trying to save is ridiculous.”

Still, the poster acknowledged understanding her parents’ perspective but wanted input from others. “I 100% understand my parents’ opinion, but I just wanted other opinions,” she concluded.