College Grad Sues Dad to Cover Student Debt

College Grad Sues Dad to Cover Student Debt

finance.yahoo. com

Arguing over money is nothing new for most families, especially when recent college graduates with massive student loans start looking to their parents for economic assistance in today's tough job market. And things can get tense when parents try to decide how much of that debt they're willing to help out with.

Most of the time, though, that decision isn't decreed in a court of law.

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Wowser, let's look this over.

When Howard and Deborah Soderberg divorced in 2004, Howard—a property developer—agreed to pay for the education of their three children.

Apparently Dana foresaw that his word wouldn't be enough. In 2005, she convinced her father to sign a written contract that would require him to pay for her college tuition until she turned 25, as well as cover related expenses such as textbooks and car insurance. For her part, she agreed to apply for student loans that her father would cover if she received them.

Part of me thinks it's low down to sue your dad, but he did sign the paper. He did make the agreement. If he doesn't live up to it she has every right to go after him. To make a long story short, she won and her father has to pay out 47,000 for the remainder of the loans she had to take out and attorney fees.

You have to wonder how crappy their relationship must have been for it to come to that.

finance.yahoo. com
(visit the link for the full news article)

LOL!!! good lord, only in america: ( i used to make jokes in a sick way things like this, cause ide think they could never happen. what a greedy selfish b**ch. sorry, but i hiope she ends up unhappy and sinlge the rest of her natural life. shed probably sue her future husband for not taking trash out, claiming natious fumes could have technically casued he lungs to become infected or collpase or something.
Even better, i hope after 25 then, her dad DEF cuts her off financially the rest of her life. she needs to learn debt is the meaning of life*

Kids think they are entitled to everything these days.

The only fault of parents is allowing their kids to watch TV that programs their minds to be over-consumers.

If my kids tried to sue me I would follow the example set before me by the US military.

Originally posted by ziggy1706
LOL!!! good lord, only in america: ( i used to make jokes in a sick way things like this, cause ide think they could never happen. what a greedy selfish b**ch. sorry, but i hiope she ends up unhappy and sinlge the rest of her natural life. shed probably sue her future husband for not taking trash out, claiming natious fumes could have technically casued he lungs to become infected or collpase or something.
Even better, i hope after 25 then, her dad DEF cuts her off financially the rest of her life. she needs to learn debt is the meaning of life*

I think its pretty harsh of you to say all of that without knowing everything about the situation. Maybe her dad is a horrible person and beat the kid every day or killer her mom. Who knows?

Either way he deserves it in my opinion. He either did such a bad job of parenting that he instilled the values that have now come back to bite him or he was just such a bad person his daughter saw him as nothing more then a contract for payment.

I'm betting its a mix of the two.

This is pretty silly. However, he did sign the paper. So legally he is obligated. If a child of mine said that I had to sign a contract with them for something of that nature, that would be the end of that discussion. In which case, you can pay for your own schooling out of your own pocket. The only college assistance I got from my parents was my first months rent on an apartment and a co-signer for my student loans. The first months rent has since been paid back in full and my parent's names are no longer on my student loans. Sure they offered to help how they could, which I appreciated greatly, however I still made sure to pay the monthly payment on my own, anything extra sent I considered a gift from them.

reply to post by zroth


There's a difference between "feeling like you're entitled to something" and "your father agrees and promises you to pay for your education." If the father wanted his daughter to do it all on her own, he could have just downright told her no, but saying yes AND signing a contract then breaking it is pathetic.

No matter the situation, if you're a parent and you make a promise to your child, you need to be a good role model and keep it.

Entitlement? Guys really, try getting a decent job in many cities without a good degree. It's pretty hard. The bottom line is this guy agreed to pay. The very fact he reneged on an agreement with his own daughter shows what a jerk he probably is. My father would never do something like that to me. Granted, he doesn't have a lot of money. He does fine, but I don't ask him to help me. He has offered to help me. I always say no thank you.

A real father honors his word. It shouldn't have come to a court of law. If he was having difficulties he should have told her.

And yes, I am saving money to help my child with his education. I consider it my duty to make sure my kid gets a decent education.



[edit on 2-7-2010 by antonia]

Keep in mind that this is the same guy, that told the same kid that santa, the easter bunny and the tooth fairy were real.

Part of growing up is realizing that your parents are human. he made a promise he can't keep that doesn't give the right to sue him.

Good Lord!

Originally posted by zroth


Part of growing up is realizing that your parents are human. he made a promise he can't keep that doesn't give the right to sue him.

He signed a legal document stating he would pay for that college. It's not just making a promise he couldn't keep. It's backing out of a legal contract. That's what landed his butt in court. She had every right to sue him. If he couldn't keep that promise he never should have signed the note.

[edit on 2-7-2010 by antonia]

[edit on 2-7-2010 by antonia]

Stupid is as stupid does. He signed a contract he needs to keep his agreements... Still you got to wonder about someone willing to sue thier father. That must have been a close relationship.

Problems is Dad is probably out of work or taken a lower paying job and can't afford it now.

Perhaps college expenses should be applied much like credit and what else, If you can't afford it then perhaps you have no business going to a college that requires 50k in loans.

Student grants and such cover somethings but seriously if you can't afford tuition on your own then you shouldn't be going there.

College has become no different than everything else, people living WELL beyond their means.

[edit on 2-7-2010 by C0le]

reply to post by zroth


If my father owed me $100 or something, I would forgive him, but why should I spend YEARS and YEARS of my life paying back $47,000 (which will be more after interest) when he promised? What kind of father would let his child suffer like that? I mean, if my father just didn't have the money, then he should at least help out in some way, but to say with certainty that he would pay it back and then when it comes time, you get a figurative door slammed in your face, I'd be pissed off too.

Being pissed and breaking family bond are two different things. This is just another example of people looking to a governing body to solve their problems.

When my parents couldn't care for me I took care of myself. They did the best they could. I didn't run to the law to get compensated.

This kid deserves the infamy they receive. It is deplorable to think that kids will go to the authorities to ruin their parents lives. It is however great for the NOW coming. This kid is primed to be an agent for their government. If they can turn their parents in they can report their fellow citizens without losing any sleep.


In the old days it went 1) God 2) family 3) Else. Now it goes 1) Self 2) Else

[edit on 2-7-2010 by zroth]

www.law.com...

I get this now. Apparently the daughter had witnessed his delinquency in child support payments and figured it was smart to get his agreement to pay in writing. He agreement to pay was part of her parents divorce settlement years ago.

I don't think she is wrong at all here and she is one shrewd lady.



[edit on 2-7-2010 by antonia]

A signed written agreement is as legal as an IOU. It's too bad it had to come to that, but I know a father that refused to spend one red cent on his three daughter's college education, while he and his second wife spent the money. Those girls really missed out in more ways than one and all beautiful girls.

He and his second wife spent so much money they filed for bankruptcy three times and wiped the slate clean and started over each time. I know more than one family that has done this. Now there's a law that a family can keep their home in the process. Nice homes too!

My husband and I work hard for everything we have, but if we divorced, I would expect my children to have financial help with college.

Signed legal document. Too bad. Pay up. However, paybacks are hell. I imagine he might be worth some bucks. She has no right to an inheritance. Time to cut her out of the will or leave her a dollar to prove he considered her. This could be a penny wise, pound foolish decision on her part.

Originally posted by C0le
College has become no different than everything else, people living WELL beyond their means.

I've racked up some £30,000+ in debt to pay my way through univesity in my 30's...sure I'm broke and can't pay it back (as of yet) but as far as I'm concerned it's like planting my flag on the summit of Everest and no debt-collector can EVER repossess the knowledge and experience gained from that

I have a friend who SHOULD have sued his dad. His dad's financial situation got really bad, so he started using my friend's Social Security Number to open up all sorts of accounts and credit cards in his name. One day, my friend starts getting calls from all sorts of debt collectors because his dad has run up over $100,000 of debt in his name, meanwhile my friend was also trying to pay off his college loans for both undergrad and law school. In the end, the debts got so bad with compounded interest, he wound up falling to about $300,000 in debt, where he stands to this day. Even as a well paid lawyer, he's never been able to get ahead of his debts and figures he'll be in debt for the rest of his life, at this point.

Basically, his dad ruined his life, but he didn't sue him because, well, he figured "how can I sue my dad." Terrible story. His dad really messed things up for him, and that wasn't the first time.

reply to post by LifeInDeath


That's why we have bankruptcy laws.
Your friend needs to look in to bankruptcy.

It clears away most debts.