Trust Fund Holder Seeks ‘Free College Money’ Anyway, Is That Fair?

A Reddit user shares she will be receiving financial aid to attend college. However, her mother calls it “unfair” and “greedy” when she has a trust fund.

When Does She Plan To Use The Trust Fund?

When the original poster (OP) was very younger, she got into a car accident. As a result, OP didn’t receive a massive sum of money. But, the amount has been tucked away, gaining interest over a decade. 

OP plans to use it to buy a car, a house, an emergency fund, and supplement college expenses that financial aid won’t cover. However, she hasn’t needed to touch it yet because she has a job and doesn’t want to become dependent on the trust fund.

She Believes Education Should Be Free

OP believes that education should be free and understands that a group must pay a little more to make that happen, adding that financial aid is part of the free education ideology. Additionally, OP doesn’t think it’s reasonable to expect her to afford all four college years out of pocket because she has extra money.

OP’s mom also agrees that education should be free. However, she doesn’t believe the government should use her tax dollars to pay for OP’s college.

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Did She Take Away Someone Else’s Opportunity?

OP says one argument her mother makes that she can vouch for is her possibly taking someone else’s spot who could have benefited from financial aid and didn’t have a trust fund.

However, OP claims she needs financial aid because she works a minimum-wage job, can’t afford a car, and is forced to ride a bike. Also, OP even says she can’t afford groceries. So, she doesn’t think she can be greedy if she can’t afford the basic things.

What Does The Reddit Community Think?

Reddit users said as long as OP filled out the financial aid forms truthfully, then OP isn’t being greedy. Instead, users say she is being smart by not touching her trust fund.

On the other hand, some question how she can be approved for financial aid with a “nest egg” in the bank. Some Reddit users responded that the trust fund is not counted as “earned income” because OP nor her parents work for this money.

Is OP greedy by accepting financial aid while having a trust fund? Did OP take someone else’s spot who could benefit from the financial aid? Should tax dollars be used to pay for “free” education?