A man has sparked debate online after revealing he called off his wedding when his fiancee refused to sign a prenuptial agreement—shortly before he discovered she was hiding $92,000 in credit card debt.
The 30-something man, who described himself on Reddit as a financially responsible individual with no debt and years of savings, wrote that he had been engaged for over three years and was looking forward to building a stable future. But when he suggested a prenup during wedding planning, the conversation took a turn.
“She shut it down completely,” Reddit user u/rraspberi1 wrote in a post on the popular r/AITAH subreddit. “That’s when red flags started popping up.”
His fiancee grew evasive whenever money came up. Eventually, she admitted to accumulating nearly six figures of debt—largely from lifestyle expenses and spending sprees—not from student loans or mortgages.
Ultimately, the Reddit user posted that he canceled the wedding. “Said again that the prenup was an insult and I was basically planning for divorce. Then she started crying and said I was humiliating her and that I was destroying everything we had built over money,” he said. “But that’s the thing it’s not just about the money. It’s about the fact that she kept a massive amount of debt hidden until she had no choice but to tell me.”
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Sticking with his gut, he made the decision to end their relationship. “I’m heartbroken, yeah, but I feel like I did the right thing,” the man wrote.
Melissa Murphy, certified divorce financial analyst and founder of Mindful Financial Partners, told Newsweek: “Financial transparency is one of the most-overlooked, yet essential, foundations of a healthy marriage. Money touches every part of a couple’s life; how they live, where they live, how they raise children, plan vacations, and retire.
“When one partner hides debt, overspends, or avoids financial conversations altogether, it creates an undercurrent of mistrust that erodes the relationship over time. It’s not just about dollars and cents; it’s about honesty, shared values, and mutual respect.”
On Reddit, commenters overwhelmingly supported the groom’s decision. “You dodged a bullet,” wrote Reddit user u/Individual-Spot2700. “She would have destroyed you.” Another commenter, u/Sweet-Interview5620, said: “That all she was actually wanting was for you to be liable for her debts.”
The man ultimately canceled the wedding, noting that her refusal to take responsibility and have honest conversations about finances made him realize she wasn’t ready for a partnership. “I’m heartbroken, yeah, but I feel like I did the right thing,” he wrote.
The story hit a nerve, at a time when financial issues are increasingly shaping modern relationships. A 2022 Harris Poll found that 15 percent of U.S. adults have signed a prenup—a sharp increase from just 3 percent in 2010. Meanwhile, 35 percent of unmarried Americans say they are open to prenups in the future.
Debt is also a growing concern. A recent Experian report revealed total U.S. consumer debt hit $17.57 trillion by Q3 of 2024. Nearly a quarter of Americans describe their unsecured debt—like credit card balances—as “unmanageable.”
“Lack of financial communication is one of the most-common root causes of divorce. When couples don’t feel safe having open, judgment-free conversations about finances, small issues can grow into massive resentments,” Murphy said. “A prenup isn’t about mistrust—it’s about clarity, communication, and protecting both parties. It’s a financial road map for your marriage, and if done thoughtfully, it can actually bring couples closer by forcing conversations about money, values, and long-term goals.”
Newsweek reached out to u/raspberi1 via Reddit for comment. We were not able to verify the details of this case.