Letters to Robinson
Reader Q&A Advice Column
Real financial inquiries submitted by readers, answered with CFP/CFA quantitative diligence. Rent vs. buy calculations, retirement nest eggs, and asset placement rules.
Letters: Prenup Pressure & a $150K Wedding – Can Love Survive the Money Talk?
Dear Robinson, I'm writing to you because I'm at my wit's end. My fiancé, Mark, and I are supposed to be planning our dream wedding for next spring, but it's turned into a nightmare. He comes from a v...
Letters: Family Home Dilemma – Should We Buy My Parents' House or Our Dream Home?
Subject: My Parents Are Guilt-Tripping Me into Buying Their Old House – And It's Ruining My Relationship! Dear Robinson, I'm writing to you because I'm at my wit's end. My partner, Alex, and I have...
Letters: Can I Really Catch Up on Retirement Savings at 58?
Dear Robinson, I am writing to you in absolute despair. I'm 58 years old, and frankly, my retirement savings are pathetic. For years, my life revolved around supporting my ex-husband's entrepreneurial...
Letters: My Brother's Failed Business Loan is Ruining Our Family and My Future
Dear Robinson, I'm writing to you out of desperation. Three years ago, in 2023, my brother David approached me with an exciting business idea. He needed $50,000 to get it off the ground. We're close,...
Letters: Sibling Rivalry and the Skyrocketing Cost of Eldercare
Dear Robinson, I'm at my wit's end. My older brother, Mark, lives just an hour away from our 82-year-old mother, Clara, who has been in declining health since her stroke last year. I live across the c...
Letters: My Ex-Husband's New Wife Controls His Wallet, Leaving Me Drowning in Child Support Debt in 2026
Dear Robinson, I'm at my wit's end. My ex-husband, Mark, and I divorced five years ago, and we have a 10-year-old son, Leo. Our child support agreement felt fair at the time, but it's 2026 now, and e...
Letters: My Brother Owes Me $50,000 and It's Destroying Our Family
Dear Robinson, I'm writing to you out of desperation. Six years ago, in 2020, my younger brother, Mark, needed a down payment for his first home. He was struggling, and I had some savings, so I lent...
Letters: My Friend's Failed Business Cost Me My House Down Payment
Dear Robinson, I’m writing to you because I’m desperate and don’t know where else to turn. My friendship with Mark, my best friend since college, is on the brink of collapse, and my financial future...