I feel so betrayed...Update post 68

[hipumpkins]

My DH says I am overeracting...tell me what you think.

I needed to get some things at whole foods and was searching for some cash around the car. DH left his walllet in there from going to a party super bowl sunday. I opened it to see if there was any cash in there...Among 80 dollars I also found a bank receipt with a bank in another county with are you ready???


11 thousand dollars in it. It is DH's name. I know his parents set it up for him. his aparents do not like me and last year they asked me to sing a post nuptial which I refused. Years ago IL's tried to get divorced and MIL went after FIL for all his money. She calims the lawyer talked her into it.

So I know they set up this "trust" for him just in case.

I don't care about the money or even that they did it...I care that this account has existed since Nov. 2005 and I was NEVER told about it.

DH (Can't I change that oto AH instead???)

DH says he never mentioned it becuse he can't take the money out anyway...until they die. I said it doen't matter..I am his wife and I should know these things...especially since his parents treat me like I am the one that went after FIL's money.

I feel like I am paying HER penance.

I am so pissed and hurt and DH thinks nothing of this.
I'm not crazy am I?

BTW..I have also had conversstions over the years obviuiosly abut finances and I pay the bills so it isn;t like I am not involved i the money and he mioght think I don't care.


This is also NOT the first time he has lied about money and I asked not to lie b/c I am not going to take his money or keep money from him.

I am so upset :

[MtBikeLover]

I would absolutely feel hurt and betrayed. And angry - I would be livid if DH had an account and didn't tell me about it, even if he couldn't touch it until his parents died.

[ChristyMarie]

I would be beyond furious.

I'm so sorry this has happened. I honestly do not know what I would do.

[theatermom]

I would be absolutely devastated if Dh kept something like this from me. It's a matter of trust and disclosure and just being friends. Why *wouldn't* he tell you? Dh and I tell each other everything, whether it's important or not. I tell Dh a lot of things that he won't necessarily care about, and vice versa.

[Twocoolboys]

Ok - different point of view here. I am guessing that your dh's parents told him not to tell you about it and he honored that. I'm not saying that is right, but it really is not a big deal. So, when he does get to have the money years down the road - you will both benefit from it. It will be used for a family vacation or home improvements or to save for retirement, or something else like that. It's just money. Money he doesn't even have access too at that. Don't let it cause any more stress than it already has. It's really a non-issue as you are fighting about something that, for the moment, doesn't even really exist except on a bank statement.

[newmommy]

hmm, I kind of agree with the PP. Initially, I'd be hurt and angry and although it would take me awhile to get over it, eventually my anger would subside and I'd forgive him.

Knowing my own DH, if he couldn't have access to the money immediately because of his Parent's wishes, he probably wouldn't tell me either right off the bat...to him, if he can't get his hands on it now, it doesn't exist KWIM?

But you said this has happened before so I guess this repeat of lying is what worries me and which adds to the feeling of betrayal.

[AngelBee]

I would be extremely upset.

[AngelBee]

Oh...and yes, I would forgive him. I would be hurt initially though.

[Laggie]

Um, if the account is in his name, and he is an adult, then he has access to it. Maybe he has agreed not to spend it until they die? But I would be very suspicious of that - why wouldn't they just leave it to him in their will, then? And if he hasn't touched the money, why does he have a bank receipt?

I know that's harsh, but I have no tolerance for liars. Even lies of omission. I would be furious. If my husband's parents gave him a big wad of cash and told him that he couldn't tell me about it, I would expect him to say no.

[Peony]

Oh I would be pissed, and very hurt. It's not about the money but about the fact that he never bothered to tell you that this account existed. And when exactly was he going to tell you about it? : I'd forgive him, but my first reaction would be....

[WonderWild]

Originally Posted by Laggie

Um, if the account is in his name, and he is an adult, then he has access to it. Maybe he has agreed not to spend it until they die? But I would be very suspicious of that - why wouldn't they just leave it to him in their will, then? And if he hasn't touched the money, why does he have a bank receipt?

I know that's harsh, but I have no tolerance for liars. Even lies of omission. I would be furious. If my husband's parents gave him a big wad of cash and told him that he couldn't tell me about it, I would expect him to say no.

:

[choli]

There was a thread recently about wives having "secret" bank accounts that their husbands don't know about. Many posters (including myself) felt that there is nothing wrong with that - that it is a good thing to have in case you ever have to leave the marriage.

I don't see this any differently. I wouldn't be angry about it.

[Tilia]

Why didn't they keep it in an account separate from theirs and leave it in their will? That makes no sense. I would be livid at AH and AILs, to use your term!!!

Well if he really wanted to keep it from you, then why was the statement in his car? That's weird too.

I would just try to move past it, and forgive. And let him know how much it hurts your feelings and well-being when he lies. So sorry that has happened to you!

[becoming]

I would be horrified and would wonder if my DH was getting ready to leave me. But we talk about everything and don't keep even insignificant things from each other.

Originally Posted by choli

There was a thread recently about wives having "secret" bank accounts that their husbands don't know about. Many posters (including myself) felt that there is nothing wrong with that - that it is a good thing to have in case you ever have to leave the marriage.

I don't see this any differently. I wouldn't be angry about it.

I don't understand why anyone would think it is okay to make preparations to leave your spouse unless you are actively getting ready to leave. Would you be okay with your DH keeping a suitcase full of clothes in his car in case he decides to move out in a hurry? I don't get it.

[choli]

Originally Posted by becoming

I would be horrified and would wonder if my DH was getting ready to leave me. But we talk about everything and don't keep even insignificant things from each other.



I don't understand why anyone would think it is okay to make preparations to leave your spouse unless you are actively getting ready to leave. Would you be okay with your DH keeping a suitcase full of clothes in his car in case he decides to move out in a hurry? I don't get it.

I feel that it's important always to be in a position to survive on my own in case of death, disease or divorce. I have seen far too many ugly situations in marriages of friends and family to "trust to luck".

yes, I would be fine with DH keeping a suitcase of clothes in his car in case he has to move out in a hurry. If it's important to him to feel that he can, then he might as well do it.

Do you think it's a bad idea for a spouse to have money that only he/she can access?

[funkygranolamama]

Originally Posted by becoming

I would be horrified and would wonder if my DH was getting ready to leave me. But we talk about everything and don't keep even insignificant things from each other.



I don't understand why anyone would think it is okay to make preparations to leave your spouse unless you are actively getting ready to leave. Would you be okay with your DH keeping a suitcase full of clothes in his car in case he decides to move out in a hurry? I don't get it.

I think it's a good idea to have an account set up "just in case". Alot of these ladies would be in a REALLY bad spot financially if their husband up and left them. How would they pay the bills? Buy food? Pay for shelter? (<<in the case they had an irresponsible hub who didn't give a crap what happened after they left). That said, I do not have a private account set up. I am the breadwinner in our family, though.

[Twocoolboys]

Originally Posted by Laggie

Um, if the account is in his name, and he is an adult, then he has access to it. Maybe he has agreed not to spend it until they die? But I would be very suspicious of that - why wouldn't they just leave it to him in their will, then? And if he hasn't touched the money, why does he have a bank receipt?

I know that's harsh, but I have no tolerance for liars. Even lies of omission. I would be furious. If my husband's parents gave him a big wad of cash and told him that he couldn't tell me about it, I would expect him to say no.

I believe that people can set up trusts that cannot be touched depending on certain conditions, like age, etc. Estate taxes are a huge burden on people who inherit money in a will and there are ways around that. I think a trust is one of those ways. I don't know too much about it, but I believe that an account can be set up in someone's name that they can't touch until a certain time, so I'd assume it would be possible to have an account that can't be touched until the giver's death.

[daniedb]

If one is in an abusive situation, fine. Have a secret account. Do what you have to do in order to get out. But, in a functioning marriage where there is no talk of leaving or thought of dissolving the union, this would definitely be upsetting to me. I would be very upset. Since I'm not emotionally involved in this because it's not happening to me, I can give you my opinion - I think this is definitely something you two can work through if you are willing to (H as well as you). I have found that DH often has reasons and thoughts that I hadn't even considered, and while I don't agree, I at least can understand that his intention was not harmful.

If he has a pattern of this, which you state in your last sentence, it sounds as if he's manifesting some source of anxiety or other unresolved emotion in the money arena, and it needs to be addressed separately from how it makes you feel to be lied to. My DH has money control issues from his FOO, and it has helped me tremedously to be able to separate the fact that it hurts me and damages our communication, and that he is just a man doing the best he can. The only thing that improved our situation and allowed us to dig down to the root of the issue was counseling on both our parts.

I hope you find a resolution that is acceptable to you, and I'm sorry.

[Laggie]

I do think it's okay for each spouse to have money only they can access. But if you have a loving, trusting relationship, why should that be a secret?

I have two bank accounts in my name. DH is completely aware of that (and of how badly I mismanage them!). I can see that if I was financially dependent on him I might want to have a little stash of money somewhere. And I *do* think that is different - because it would feel scary to me to be totally dependent on another person and that would make me want to have a little bit of money set aside 'just in case'. But not 11 grand!!

And, since DH is NOT in that position of dependence, I don't see why he would need to have a secret 'rainy day fund.'

[Mrs.CEH3]

> in a functioning marriage where there is no talk of leaving or thought of dissolving the union, this would definitely be upsetting to me. I would be very upset.

Precisely, and if this is the case I think you are justifiably upset. In my estimation there shouldn't be this level of secrecy. If his parents asked him to keep the account a secret from you, as your husband he had an obligation to decline.