TLDR; My parents have been making financially bad decision after bad decision, completely ignore my advice, and are rapidly running out of money. They have no back-up plan. I'm afraid I'm the back-up plan. While I would not mind helping family out of a tough situation, they've brought this on themselves and that makes me not want to help- but I need to, you know? Looking for ideas I can pass onto them to help themselves without burdening myself.
Hi PF. I'm here to hopefully find some resources to direct my parents to, to help them financially. Some background:
My dad is a Journeyman for a heavy equipment operators union, but has been on and off of the "out of work list" for 3 years (he's worked maybe a total of 4 months all added up in that time). His lack of work is partly because the union gets money from the government to keep apprentices working (but not Journeyman), partly because he keeps fucking up his placement on the out-of-work list (ending up at the back of the line over and over), and partly because he's lazy as fuck and refuses to look for a new job (always makes bad excuses for why he can't, they are all BS)
My mom is an accountant. She worked for a city job for 9 years, but got tangled in office politics, pissed off her boss, and got put on a 3-month probation (As of Dec 2016). With government jobs, this is basically the first step to getting fired, I told her to job search the second she got put on probation (I've been telling her to apply to temp agencies for the past 9 months, she still has not. She has over 20 years of accounting experience, and could get a job easily, I know it). Instead, she joined the Mary Kay cult (I tried to stop her. Really, really tried. She's lost her fucking mind). She got offered a severance package to leave a month early. She thought she could claim unemployment, but surprise surprise, you can't do that when you've quit.
Since my dad's been out of work so long, they nearly lost their house a year and a half ago, but were able to get the mortgage paid for by Keep Your Home California. This month was the last month KYHCA paid (they only pay for up to 18 months). I tried getting my parents to look into selling their house (I mentioned they needed to pursue it seriously 6 months ago), but they're not bothering because they're not likely to have any equity (they refinanced right before my dad stopped working, and KYHCA takes back everything they paid if you sell within 5 years of their last payment). My mom cashed-out her retirement to squeeze out 1, maybe 2 more months of mortgage payments (I advised against this, as 1. It's fucking all they have for retirement and it already wasn't much. and 2. They're almost certain to lose the house regardless, so dumping what little money they have left into mortgage is idiotic. I was again, ignored.
Their only income is $500 rent from my sister and her husband (unreliably, too), and $600 rent from my aunt. Neither party is able to pay more, and are likely screwed when the house is foreclosed on.
They keep spending money like they're not in a financial emergency. I asked my mom yesterday "What are you going to do if you don't both have jobs in the next 1-2 months? What's your plan?". She said they don't have one.
I'm scared that I'm their plan. We have a house, with one room that is "spare" (it's currently the guest room, will be future kid's room in the next 2 or so years). If this situation were different, if they had just fallen on unavoidable hard times, I'd be happy to help with a place to stay (can't really help financially, as we have retirement goals). But my dad has been a lazy-ass for going on 3 years. But my mom has ignored advice to look for a new job for the past 9 months, ignored advice to stay the fuck away from Mary Kay, ignored advice to NOT cash out her retirement to pay for 1-2 months mortgage on a house they'll most certainly lose, and they both are still spending money like they are employed. It makes me feel like they don't deserve my help.
I don't want them to move in. I love them, but I also love having my home to myself and my spouse. Having them here would be an inconvenience and a burden. And helping them in this way would involve a lot of resentment and bitterness due to their choosing to be in this situation.
So, what I need help with: Do you know of any government programs that can help (aside from Covered California for medical, and food stamps, I've already suggested both)? They're in CA, but can move pretty much anywhere in the US if needed. Anything to help them keep their cars? Government assisted car insurance (They need their cars if they ever hope to get jobs.)? Cheaper housing that doesn't have a 2-4 year wait-list? Seriously, anything? I need to be able to point them in the direction of help that doesn't lead back to my house.
Submitted August 30, 2017 at 07:34PM by Giraffezilla http://ift.tt/2iJMEuo
