Should you pay the bill?
There are 2 case studies..where I had a cruelly different view from what society has…normally.
Case 1: A 64 year old man with a 63 year old wife. Their net worth is about Rs. 100 L and they have a house in South Mumbai – wait don’t get ideas. It is a chawl with a sale value of Rs. 90L in a best case scenario. They have a ready buyer at Rs. 78L.
They have a completely useless son aged 38 years, and sufferring from liver failure. The doc has quoted a stunningly high figure running into a couple of million.
I was asked for a view. I said parents should not pay for the liver failure of a drunkard. No. I am not being judgemental. This great son of theirs was not worth raising – he has done nothing economical for them so far. NPV is negative so to say. He has not held a regular job, drinks regularly, and now has liver failure and is waiting for a liver donor – an accident victim so to say.
What is your view?
Another case – A 55 year old worker with Rs. 8L in his Provident fund account, and having his own house. Other investments/savings are close to nil. His 75 year old father has cancer and needs about Rs. 5L for treatment. Well that is the expected figure over a period of time – say a couple of years. He has a 22 year old Daughter who wants him to pay for her MBA class – Rs. 9L is what the total costs are. Her argument? She is sure to get a Rs. 5L starting salary – the school where she is planning to do has an average placement of Rs. 8L per annum.
What is your view?
Please leave your comment …it will be interesting to read different views….
fidesire
In second case, everyone forgetting the 55 year old man who himself doesn’t have sufficient amount for his own retirement. Then how he can spend for others.
ck
Conflict of emotional priorities. Listening to heart than the mind naturally takes precedence, even if the consequences are not always favorable.
Kalyan
Case 1: The house should be sold, Rs 20 million should be spent on the drunkard son and the parents should use the remaining money for their future.
Case 2: Why should the taxpayers/NGOs bear the burden of treating a 75 year old cancer patient when the patient’s own son is using his funds to educate his daughter? Let him use his own funds for her education or let him take an educational loan, misusing taxpayers’ money when the patient’s family can afford the treatment is unacceptable.
Vijay S
Case 1: Support the “only” son. Thats how theory of evolution works. We support our offspring as they are a manifestation of ourself and hope that the son mends his ways. 25% of net worth to save an ailing son (regardless of his behaviour) is something any parent will do. He will repent not having his son by his bedside against having (20 lakhs more).
Case 2: Depends on the health of the father. Given his age, the father should push his son not to spend on him as against his daughter.
Atul's Desk
Case 1 : Open and shut case. Dont spend on son’s treatment.
Case 2: The worker should keep the money for his own retirement. Ask the daughter to take loan.
subra
thanks for the response. The first problem solved itself. Son died, now cremated. Done and dusted. Second problem – the man took the money from PF to treat his father. Now we may need crowdfunding for his daughter’s education, wedding, etc….NO NO NO…I am not starting one..but that family is financially doomed. God bless them.
Deep C
Well for case 2:
For daughter go for student loan if she is very eager, ideally MBA can also be postponed by couple of year considering with some working experience, MBA degree gives better advantage.
For father, he should look for govt medical options where he dont have to spend 5L. Also look for alternative options to treat cancer.
As he dont any investment/savings so he should not touch his PPF amount in any case and consider this strictly for his retirement and retirement only.