'My parents won't lend me £10k but helped my brother': When families play financial favourites
Financial favouritism among parents toward their adult children can lead to long-term resentment, family conflict, and legal disputes. Experts suggest that these disagreements are often rooted in emotional perceptions of unequal love rather than just the monetary value involved.
Why it matters
Understanding the psychological impact of financial inequality within families is crucial for conflict resolution and estate planning.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, One US study suggests around 15% of siblings have had conflicts over money
Do your parents have a favourite child and give them more money, gifts or help?
Financial favouritism can cause jealousy and resentment long into adulthood and, in some cases, even spark legal disputes after a parent dies. But experts say there are strategies that can help you avoid it.
John says his parents, who have always supported his younger brother, recently refused to lend him £10,000 towards a house deposit after he broke up with his partner.
This was despite the money being "well within their financial grasp", he says.
His parents had previously given his brother a deposit to buy a home and subsidised his living expenses.
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