22-year-old daughter sues her dad for the $100k inheritance from her mother when he and her stepmother keep it for themself to start a business: 'Our relationship was over before I moved out of his house at 18'

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Jun 17, 2025 12:00 PM EDT

We always hope that our parents have our best intentions in mind, that's how a parent is supposed to be and act. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case, and with family—parents included—things can get messier and even more complicated as soon as money enters the picture. 

Seldom, if ever, in your life will you get 100k dropped on your lap, and for those who aren't scrupulous, the temptation will be great. It's easy to see how that temptation could lead you down a path you wouldn't normally walk, justifying to yourself that you can make it work.

But stealing from your own kid, especially stealing the money that her late mother left her, is a new type of low. Robbing her past and her future in one fell swoop. It's understandable that this could lead to bad feelings between the girl and her parent, as she's paying the price for their poor financial choices. Using the half-siblings as a shield is merely a poor and dirty way of deflecting from their own choices and responsibility. 

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  • 01

    "AITA for not taking my father's minor children into consideration when I sued him for the inheritance he stole from me?"

    My mom d d when I (22f) was 10 and in her will she left me an inheritance of more than 100k. My dad was left in charge of it but after he remarried, him and his wife wanted to start a business together and they used the money mom left me to open it. Dad and I argued about it at the time but I was 15 and he kept insisting it was good for the whole family and how it was better used to help everyone than being thrown away on random sh when I turned 18.
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10518219264
    via leah hetteberg

    The image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 03
    Our relationship was over before I moved out of his house at 18. I had made his and his wife's life miserable for stealing from me and once I was out of there I looked into how I could get that money back. I pressed charges against him for stealing from me and I sued him for the money. I had the support of my entire extended
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 04
    family on my maternal side and some on my paternal side. But I was told by others on the paternal side to consider my dad's other kids and the devastation that kind if financial upheaval could bring. I ignored those comments. I knew waiting would prevent me from ever getting the money and I honestly did not care about his family's financial security after being stolen from.
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 05
    It was a long a process and I needed to return to court a few times because he was just like I can't pay, I don't have the money anymore. In the end they were forced to give up the business and it was sold to pay me the money back and he had to pay additional out of his paycheck which made him empty their savings so his wages weren't garnished anymore.
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 06
    By the time I got it back I was 100% done and past the point where we could ever reconcile. He made me fight so hard for what was legally mine and he stole money mom left to support his new family.
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 07
    My relationship with some of dad's side is not so strong anymore and they think it was wrong that I focused only on what he did and not on the effects for the kids. I mostly don't talk to those family members now but they asked me how I feel zero guilt for it when the kids are innocent and are still my siblings technically. That they would have thought I'd want better for them.
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 08
    I don't feel bad. I never have. But AITA for not taking the kids into consideration? Is that something I should have done? I feel like that's just really unfair to me and locks me into never being paid back. I don't think I owe those kids that.
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 09
    Prestigious_Lime82... You didn't owe your father's new family your inheritance. That money was left to you for a reason, and he had no right to use it for anything else. It s ks that the kids are affected, but that's on him, not you.
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 10
    Sebscreen NTA. Go ahead and cut off the relatives defending him as well. Instead of loaning him. money themselves, they decided to hound you over money that was stolen from you.
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 11
    ShySparklesPink NTA. Your inheritance was stolen. You were simply taking back what was rightfully yours, regardless of the ripple effects. Remember, he made the choice, not you.
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 12
    QueenScarebear NTA. He took your money with little consideration for how it'd make you feel, or its effect on you. Your mum left it to you, not your dad and his new wife. Even if you did blow it on useless sh, it's your money to do what you want with it.
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 13
    deal585 NTA let's face it this whole thing didn't have to happen because your dad could have compromise if he had just promised to pay you back the money installment fees plus. interest over the course of years instead of just really taking the money from himself.
    via ComplaintNatural5528
  • 14
    Also when you get married and have kids make sure to have your will are include that your spouse or anyone else can't touch your kid money
    via ComplaintNatural5528

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Babies family dynamics teens family drama stepmother aita AITAH infant kids teenagers blended family siblings stepchild moms family feud parenting family pregnant reddit thread parent raising kids Parenting Fail parents children
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