He owes money to banks as well.

Would it be better to ruin our relationship and take him to court or just forgive the debt?

Do you have any other suggestions of how to recoup that money?

Two men have a discussion on a set of stairs.

Trying to climb out of debt? Here are50 ways to bring in extra money this month.

-Irritated

Dear Irritated,

Lets put aside the relationship for a second.

Do you think your brother has $6,000 sitting around somewhere and is refusing to pay you?

Or is it likelier that hes flat broke and youre just one of the many people he owes?

Dear Penny

Many people believe the myth that successfully suing someone means youll actually get money.

Thats simply not true.

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Maybe you could get a wage garnishment order if your brother is employed.

Also keep in mind that some types of income, like Social Security, are off-limits from creditor claims.

But also consider the value of your time.

7 Ways to Make Money if You Hate People

Do you avoid people too?

Enough small talk.Here are some waysto earn extra cash, without all of the social stuff.

Think about how likely it is that your brother can afford to repay you.

Does he spend money on vacations, hobbies and going out to eat?

If so, go ahead and sue your brother.

Give him a final warning or two first.

In this scenario, I wouldnt be so worried about creating a rift.

Someone who deliberately stiffs you out of $6,000 clearly doesnt value the relationship.

Does he ever see himself getting caught up enough to repay you?

Im sure youve probably had this conversation far too many times to count by now.

Could he afford payments of $50 or $100 a month?

If he has a bank account and he agrees to this, ask him to set up automatic transfers.

Did you know?

When youre talking about a debt thats been lingering for several years, collecting anything is better than nothing.

Id also let him know that suing him is something youve considered.

The important thing here is to be realistic.

This is as much for you as for your brother.

When youre holding onto the hope that something will happen, you wind up frustrated every time it doesnt.

Sometimes the best thing you could do is move on.

Of course, forgiving isnt forgetting.

Dont ever lend your brother money again.

Robin Hartill is a certified financial planner and a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.

Send your tricky money questions to[email protected].

(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)

You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…