An injured military vet and the owners of an ice cream truck are presented with a tough decision in the premiere of this reality series: Keep a briefcase filled with $101,000 for themselves or share it with another hard-working family facing financial difficulty.

When presented with a large sum of money and a life-changing decision, the Scott family from Mechanicsville, Maryland struggles with the choice of keeping the money to ensure they have the funds needed to adopt a child, or helping the Musolinos. The Musolino family from Fuqua Varina, N.C. spends most of the year in different states due to John's fishing job. They see this as an opportunity to secure their children's future and bring the family together, but also wants to help the Scotts realize their dream of becoming parents, on The Briefcase.

A Texas family whose Christian faith has guided them through tough financial times consider how a large sum of money could impact their lives; at the same time, a lesbian couple who took on the responsibility of two children in need are presented with an opportunity to make their dream of having their own baby come true.

Featured: a Los Angeles family who are passionate about education and their Mexican heritage have student loans and debt hanging over their heads; and a Massachusetts couple who are raising four children on one income are devoted to helping foster kids.

A couple with huge student loans and two kids discover secrets about each other's finances; at the same time, a family of five from New Jersey face losing their home, which was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy after they had invested time and money in its renovation.