Praise as Man Refuses To Share Dead Wife's Life Insurance Money With Family

A grieving husband has been applauded for refusing to share the insurance payout from his wife's death with her immediate family.

The death of a spouse can have a profound effect on the surviving partner, not least when it comes to their health. A 2008 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that the death of a spouse increased the all-cause mortality of the bereaved partner to varying degrees.

It is, therefore, important for those left behind to take time out from work and other commitments to focus on themselves in the period following a long-term partner's death. In theory, that's what a life insurance payout provides—a means to reduce the stress surrounding a bereavement.

However, it's proving to be quite the opposite situation for one grieving husband. "I lost my wife unexpectedly, and it has been one of the most difficult times in my life," he wrote in a post shared to Reddit under the handle u/Few_Instance_123.

According to the post, his wife left him $200,000 in life insurance money. However, her family has been "demanding a large portion" of the funds in the weeks since her funeral.

"Her parents want to use it to rebuild their home in Florida that was destroyed in a recent hurricane," he explained. "My wife's brother also wants a portion of the money to pay for his college tuition."

Despite their pleas for financial help, the husband is hesitant to part with the money, arguing that it's not "fair" that he should have to cover her parents' losses and it's not his "responsibility" to fund his brother-in-law's education.

"My wife left this money to me for a reason, and it's up to me to decide how to use it," he wrote. When he explained the situation to them, however, they reacted angrily and accused him of "being selfish and not caring about their situation."

He's refusing to back down though. "I don't want to put myself in a difficult financial situation by giving away a large portion of the life insurance money," he said. "This is an opportunity for me to pay off my debts and buy the dream home me and my wife always wanted."

Patrick Hicks is an attorney and the head of legal at Trust & Will, an online service providing legal forms and information, serving as their general counsel overseeing all attorney-related operations, including regulatory efforts and legal affairs.

From a legal standpoint, he could see little issue with the husband opting to keep the money for himself. "He has no obligation to share them with anyone," Hicks told Newsweek. "These are his funds to use however he sees appropriate. The fact that the funds are proceeds from his wife's life insurance does not change his legal obligations."

He did, however, note that the money provided a unique way to "craft his wife's legacy by helping those who loved her." Hicks said: "Having a legal right to act does not mean there will be no consequence. Declining to help his wife's family could negatively impact his relationship with those individuals."

But while Hicks urged caution, others on social media felt the family was out of line for expecting any payout. "Death and money can bring out the worst in people," one Reddit user wrote.

Another agreed, writing: "It's selfish of them to put you through this." A third user concurred, adding: "They're trying to take advantage of a person in mourning." A fourth, meanwhile, pointed out: "If she wanted them to have it she would have made them beneficiaries."

Newsweek has reached out to u/Few_Instance_123 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

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