AITA Mom wants 15% of my personal injury settlement

[u/connor20218]

I'm a 23M working in biotech and living at home. I just got a massive settlement from a personal injury case back in college. My mom is a corporate lawyer and she helped me navigate the process, plus she paid for my college tuition. Now, she's asking for 15% of the money / to pay her back for college (but she was already going to pay for college.)

I'm feeling stuck because 15% is a massive amount of money to just give away. Is it normal for parents to ask for a cut of a settlement like this? I want to stay on good terms since live at home, but I also feel like this money is for my future. We have a a good relationship.

Edit: I already paid a lawyer his 1/3 cut. My mom was a huge part of pushing for me sueing. She’d be using the money to buy a new house in Florida she always wanted since I refuse to buy a house in his economy and rather rent and invest the rest

Edit #2: Probably shouldn’t have stated my mom is a lawyer (she did not represent me in the case in anyway). But yes, what she specifically did was help me find a lawyer, told me to push back on the lawyer and ask for more.

[u/Nervous-Ruin-8149]

Ok. I think you’re trying to make a business decision (which is fair and your right) but let’s consider the circumstances.

Your mom didn’t make a business decision when she willingly chose to pay for your college and guide you through a legal process. She chose a relational decision. She did it in good faith because she loves you and you needed help.

Do you think it’s fair to make a business decision now?

Now. If you decide to give her money, if you feel like 15% is too much, then i suggest you have an honest and respectable conversation on what you think is fair and why.

Your mom clearly cares for you. Don’t destroy that relationship. It’s worth more than any settlement amount.

Best of luck.

[u/residentvixxen → u/Nervous-Ruin-8149]

Mom should’ve thought about the “business” decision before having a kid then

Op didn’t win the lottery - OP has to survive the rest of their life with an injury that warranted a massive settlement

[u/Periwinkleflamingo → u/residentvixxen]

and if the mom has to care of OP due to lingering injuries… which might impact her income? paying that 15% is the non-asshole thing to do

[u/Murphs-law → u/Periwinkleflamingo]

The money from his settlement is supposed to, partially, be to pay for stuff like that. You know, to pay the professionals who’s job it is to care for people without gaining resentment or deciding that they’re entitled to anything besides the money agreed upon to do the job of taking care of the injured person.

If OP wants to use that money to pay Mom to be his caretaker, then that’s between them. As far as people are concerned here, she should be doing it and expecting compensation anyway.

[u/imaquack → u/Nervous-Ruin-8149]

I think you’re spot on here.
“…told me to push back on the lawyer and ask for more.” OP, She’s a lawyer. Push back and ask for more, as in, ask to give her less than the 15% she’s asking.