We have, but it depends on the circumstances. I don’t give my baby sister (recovering alcoholic, rampant consumer) money - she seems to be straightening herself out, but she needs to do that. Her hole is so deep that I couldn’t fill it if I wanted to - at least, not without digging myself my own “kids college, retirement” hole. I do give my other sister money because the baby is living with her, and a lot of money has been put into her medical care and upkeep. We helped my brother in law out of a bad marriage, but he’s done - if he ends up stuck with the girl he is dating now, he knows better than to expect us to lift a finger to help.
Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?
The way I see it is that destitute people are going to be taken care of from my tax dollars anyway - whether it be prison or unemployment or food stamps - so I might as well funnel my money towards people I know and like.
We’re looking at being in this situation. In-laws went into retirement with zero savings or pension, an inheritance bought them a place to live but some financial decisions made since then have panned out badly. We don’t have a lot of spare cash, and what we have we’re saving in the retirement plans until it hurts, as we don’t expect much from social security… AND we’re looking at needing to leave enough in trust to help support Dweezil when we’re gone.
We’ll find a way to help - can’t have the ‘rents living on the streets and bodily harm would ensue if FIL moved in with us - but it’ll be tough (and to be honest, I’ll be resentful that someone else’s lack of foresight will jeopardize our retirement and our kids’ futures).
Oh - and I should also add, we’ve helped out friends with money when we’ve had it and they’ve needed it, and gladly; in at least one situation I think the friend views it as a loan, but we’ve always viewed it as a gift. That’s a lot easier than a longer-term commitment for support though.
This decision has borne heavily on a family I know well. They have an autistic child, and many of the people they know because of this have been advised to abandon their autistic children to the care of the state because otherwise the cost is prohibitive. Fortunately, they’re reasonably well off and have not had to do this.
I missed this; no it wasn’t intentional. Would it make a difference if the person in need were male?
Only insofar as I’m reasonably sure my brother and I could live together without resorting to homicide. 
Just Say No. I have no problem helping someone out if they’re in a bind, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to borrow money to loan to someone else. Those credit cards have really outrageous interest rates.
For my parents, my house is their house no questions asked. Short term to help a hard working relative or close friend through a tight spot, no problem. Done it lately. Slacker, thief, or addict, no way. Been down that road and I ain’t going back.
Ouch. So when my family helped my older brother out when he was unexpectedly laid off, we were suckers? :dubious:
My family is welcome to anything and everything that I own. I owe them that much for putting up with me all these years.
If either of my brothers needed legitimate financial help, I’d send what I could without hesitating. Heck, I’d love it if my brother and his SO moved in, that’d make it the world’s coolest (if not crazy-crowded) apartment ever.