Entitled sister goes 'no contact' with her parents then demands 50% of the inheritance years later, her older brother refuses to share: 'I stepped up as the only child'

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
May 19, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

Is a person entitled to their parents' wealth simply because they're related? That's a question that people left out of the family will have been asking themselves for generations, yet there's still no clear answer. Alas, when it comes to financial matters entangled with family drama, the only clarity can be found in the bottom line of your late parents' will. 

This older brother planned to stick to his parents' wishes to a tee. After his entitled sister decided to abandon them for nearly a decade, only to crawl out of the woodwork just in time to collect her inheritance check, too bad their entire estate was left to big bro. Oopsie…

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    via Jacob Lund

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Legally speaking, this man had inherited 100% of his parents' estate after they unexpectedly passed within weeks of each other. After years of caring for them solo, shouldering the burden of being a pseudo-only-child in his sister's absence, this seemed like a fair arrangement following their passing. Even after years of being ‘no contact' with her ailing parents, however, this entitled sister felt that she could cash in on their passing to get her 50% cut of the funeral spoils.

  • AITAH for refusing to split inheritance with my sister after she cut contact with our parents? So this whole situation is a mess.
    via Sea_Leopard3953
  • My sister (34F) and I (37M) had what I'd call a decent life (financially and socially) while growing up. Not perfect like our parents were a bit strict and old fashioned but they provided well
    via Sea_Leopard3953
  • for us. About 6 years ago, my sister had this crazy argument with them over her career choice (she dropped her accounting job to become a yoga instructor).
    via Sea_Leopard3953
  • Cheezburger Image 10504827136
    via Mike Marchetti

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Things got nasty which led to her not talking to them for over 6 years (she came during holidays but she was very cold even when talking to me)
    via Sea_Leopard3953
  • During those 6 years, I remained very close with our parents. I helped them with all the house maintenance, medical appointments like basically stepped up as the only child. It
    via Sea_Leopard3953
  • wasn't always easy cuz they could be stubborn and difficult, but family is family (at least that's what I think) Our dad passed away 3 months ago, and mom followed
    via Sea_Leopard3953
  • unexpectedly just 6 weeks later (they were married for over 45 years). In their will, they left everything to me. The house, investments, everything. My sister got nothing.
    via Sea_Leopard3953
  • Now she's going crazy. She's demanding I split everything 50/50 because "that's what's fair." But I'm looking at this like - you chose to cut them out completely for over half a decade
    via Sea_Leopard3953
  • and now you want half their stuff? The inheritance isn't life changing money but it's not nothing either. Due to my two jobs and a project
    via Sea_Leopard3953
  • that I was able to close earlier this year, I've been able to put myself in a good financial situation. Just to be clear I'm not saying I don't need the inheritance
    via Sea_Leopard3953
  • My wife thinks I should give her something more substantial to keep the peace. Some friends say I owe her nothing. My sister is telling everyone I'm greedy. What the f do I do? AITAH for not giving her a single cent?
    via Sea_Leopard3953
  • lapsteelguitar You have had pretty much zero contact with your sister the last 6 years? If she cuts you off, what changes for you going forward?
    via lapsteelguitar
  • As for "fair." That's for your parents to decide, on their terms. Not you, not your sister.
    via lapsteelguitar
  • Hogwartsgryffindor nta- she was giving them no love so they did as they saw fit as their final wishes
    via Hogwartsgryffindor
  • AGalCanDream NTA. They left the money to you, that's all the explanation needed. She should've tried harder to rebuild the relationship if she wanted to be left half.
    via AGalCanDream
  • This is why I've told my parents countless times that they need to have a will, because I don't want these disputes with my sibling who is NC with them. We'll follow the will.
    via AGalCanDream
  • RiaVantae because ignoring a sibling who cut out family for years totally makes you a greedy villain. Brilliant logic.
    via RiaVantae
  • Zestyclose-Height-36 Nta. But the question is whether you want any relationship with her going forward. Your parents decided to put you in this situation by excluding her, because she chose a less stressful life path.
    via Zestyclose-Height-36

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family drama dads famiies drama kids brother siblings moms parenting dad story family sibling sister stories parent mom cousins parents
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