I Found Secret Stashes of Cash Around the House and I Don’t Know Who to Trust

Losing a parent is already one of the most difficult things a person can go through, and sometimes, grief brings complicated decisions, too. One Reddit user recently lost their mother and found something unexpected that left them and their twin sister facing a moral dilemma.

My mother left me something unexpected.

My mom passed away a month ago, and my dad is terrible with finances. I went to my mom’s closet for some clothes she’d taken, and found $15k in the pockets. In total, $30k.

I have no idea where this would have come from. I didn’t know who to tell. I only told my sister. I felt like she was the only one I could tell at the moment.

These surprise gifts weren't just for me.

Well, apparently my sister also found money in the pockets of a suit jacket, which was also $30k in cash. The clothing item was something that my mom would have given to my sister.

My sister has borrowed it all the time for job interviews and college stuff, so she was going to do that again, but this time, she found the $30k in it.

There's a reason why we can't tell our dad.

[edited] For context, my dad is in his 60s and has no retirement fund saved up. He has been on a giant credit card debt multiple times.

My sister and I have held on to my mom’s money. We have not spent it. We do not plan on spending it, because we have no idea what to do. We feel like if we tell our dad, he will be very stupid about it.

Should we trust our instincts or discuss with our father?

Anyways, my sister and I feel like my mom would have put that money in those specific spots for a reason. Still, have no certainty where the money came from. And we don’t know anyone that we could tell this to without our dad finding out.

What should we do, and are we doing the right thing? I’m incredibly confused and have no idea what to do about this. I shouldn’t tell my dad, but I also feel like I’m doing the wrong thing.

Other users on Reddit joined in on the conversation.

One person thought it’s best to simplify the situation for the twins: “You already know what to do. You and your sister have to agree to hide this where nobody will ever find it. Never tell your dad. Done. This will be your rainy day fund.”

Another shared some practical advice on safekeeping: “I would recommend getting a safe deposit box at a bank. Yes, there’ll be a small fee, but the money will be kept safe from your dad or anyone else accidentally discovering it, no matter how good you think to might be able to hide it.”

Most seemed to agree that the dad should be kept out of the loop: “If your mom had wanted your father to know about the money, he would. Keep it secret, keep it safe. Look after your old man to an extent, but don’t lose yourself trying to save someone else.”

Not all people get to have pleasant surprises from a parent who has passed. Check out this story of a woman who read her mother’s diaries and uncovered a dreadful secret.