There's supporting your partner—and then there's financially adopting them.

That's the line one 25-year-old woman found herself toeing when her 27-year-old boyfriend asked her to co-sign a car loan. He needed a vehicle for work, he said. What he didn't mention right away was that he had the down payment saved—until he blew it on a PlayStation 5, designer sneakers, and a weekend trip with his friends.

In a post on Reddit, she explained her refusal. "I told him no I'm not risking my credit when he just proved he can't manage his own," she wrote. His response? "He said I'm unsupportive and don't believe in his potential," she said. Then came the kicker: "Now his mom even texted me saying I should help him because that's what partners do."

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The poster admitted that the guilt was starting to creep in. "I'm starting to feel guilty," she wrote, "but also I'm not a bank." Still, she questioned whether she was wrong for saying no.

A Liability, Not A Partner

Reddit had answers—and none of them involved her signature.

"His ‘potential' means nothing if his choices are a PS5 and sneakers over reliable transportation," one commenter wrote. "He's not a partner; he's a financial liability. The fact that his mommy is texting you to pressure you is a massive red flag."

Another added, "If his own mama won't even co-sign for him, why the heck would you? Don't do it girl!"

Users weren't just concerned about her credit—they were waving flags about the relationship itself. "She needs to end the relationship now! Him and his mother have given her every reason to prove this is a very unhealthy relationship," one commenter wrote. "If she stays, she pays."

Others pointed out the absurdity of the emotional manipulation. "Believing in his potential doesn't mean signing legal documents for someone who just blew his savings on luxury items. He doesn't need a co-signer. He needs accountability."

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On The Hook For A Car You Don't Drive 

From a financial perspective, co-signing isn't just a gesture of support. It's a legal contract that makes both parties equally responsible for repayment. If he stops paying—or never starts—the lender comes after the co-signer. Late payments hit both credit scores. Collections hit both names. And in the event of a breakup, the debt doesn't vanish just because the relationship does.

That's exactly the nightmare many commenters warned about.

"Imagine this: a few months down the line he spends his money on more crap, then says he can't make the car payment," one user wrote. "Your credit is on the line so you have to pay it for him. He doesn't like the job and quits. Now you're stuck. He gets in a crash and totals it—and you still have to pay. He gets in his car, breaks up with you, and leaves. You have to pay for his car."

Some speculated his mother knew the risk and was offloading it. "Either her credit is also trash," one wrote, "or she knows he'll default and doesn't want it to be her problem too."

Others offered the blunt truth. "Sorry… at 27 he has no potential," one user wrote. "That is a man-child. RUN."

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Potential Doesn't Make A Car Payment

It's a fair reminder: the person who shares your bed shouldn't get to share your credit report—especially if they've just proven they can't manage a savings account without emptying it into video games and sneakers.

Auto loan delinquency rates rose slightly to 1.45% in Q3 2025, up from 1.41% the year before, according to TransUnion's Credit Industry Insights Report. With interest rates and vehicle costs still high, it's not just bad luck pushing borrowers into default—it's bad decisions.

And when his mother is the one trying to guilt you into fixing it? That's not a partnership. That's a warning label.

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