When are you obliged to pay your family member’s rent? In basically all circumstances, the answer is «never,» but of course, there are exceptions. If you own four fully paid-off properties and your mom is about to get evicted from a crummy one-bedroom apartment, you probably should at least offer to help her out. Unless she was the worst mother in the world and has made it clear she wants nothing to do with you, it’s worth a shot. However, most of us don’t have 7-figure net worths and can’t afford to fully care for another adult, especially one who could very well take care of himself if he made a minimal effort. You can’t save someone from their own bad habits, and if two working-age adults can’t figure out how to get $1,150 a month to cover basic living expenses, I do not know what to tell them.