Is there anything I can do? Please help...my family's trying to steal my $7,000...?

Question

I've been saving money for school since I was 8 years old. It got put into a passbook account entrusted to my name. That passbook account was transferred to my aunt's name without my name on it about two years ago, but it was still my money with me having "100% control over it."

Now I'm 18 and want the money to be transferred to my savings account, because I'm in college. I was told point blank by my dad that he will never give me the money, and my aunt won't give it to me without his "permission" because she's his sister.

Legally is there anything I can do? No one in my family has contributed to the account except for me. It is 100% money that I have earned and saved over my life.

My dad told me that it would "keep it safe until I was in college." I don't know why exactly he wanted it in my aunt's name. I allowed it to be done because as my father I trusted him. The money wasn't primarily in my name ever so it wasn't really a matter or me "allowing" him to put it in my aunt's

Answer 1

You should have insisted that it be a trustee account with you as the beneficiary, that way you would have a legal leg to stand on if they decide to use the money for something else (and would require that the money be kept for your use).

If your dad actually wants you to get the money but just not now then you might be able to convince him to put it into an account that will become yours once certain conditions have been fulfilled though the fact that he hasn't given you the money despite the condition he originally gave being fulfilled.

If you do decide to try to challenge it then you definitely want to ask why he put it his sister's name and not his or his wife's although you may have a hard time actually proving that the money is your's (and suing your parents is not going to make you very popular with them although if they've trying to steal your money you might not care).

I wouldn't consider trying to take action against them unless I wasn't dependent on them so you shouldn't do anything other than talk to them unless you can support yourself, if you are interested in legal means you'll have to talk to a lawyer about what you can do.

Answer 2

Do you got any records from 2 years ago, or about the money being transferred to your aunt? Take whatever you can find and take it to your legal aid office. Maybe your old bank still has records from when your name was still on the account.
Did your Dad owned his sister some money? You said you still had 100% control of it, when your aunt took over, so what is your Dads reason for not letting you now? Is it possible he is just afraid you will blow it on something all at once. Somehow I think there is more to this story, but legal aid would be your cheapest resource.

Answer 3

remind them
that when they get old and have no way of caring for themselves
they have a choice now
to go to some f@#ked up nursing home
OR
you will take care of them

and call a lawyer

Answer 4

seeing as your family is worthless deceitful losers, you will need to go to small claims court or at least see a lawyer.