Man Refusing To Share Inheritance With Sister’s Kids Cheered: ‘Greedy’

A man has been backed by the internet for refusing to share his inheritance with his sister’s kids.

In a viral Reddit post, u/FriesWithMacSauce explained he recently lost his last remaining parent and there has since been family disputes about the legacy they left behind.

“Our parents were very clear in their will that our inheritance and all property are split evenly between the two of us. It’s to the tune of around $1 million,” he wrote.

However, his 40-year-old sister has other plans and has recently requested he share his half with her three children aged under 11. He states he is a gay man therefore his sister believes it is “highly unlikely” he will have his own children.

Explaining her reasoning, he wrote: “Because I live a comfortable life currently, that I should take at least a quarter of my inheritance money and open bank accounts for her kids.

“Instead of using her own money to do that, she wants to buy a McMansion to get out of their smaller cramped house. Basically, [it implies that she] and her family need the money more than I do since they’re married with kids and I’m not. She thinks my parents were unfair when they created the will and that I should ‘do the right thing’ to make up for their mistake[s].”

The man states his “entire family” are split on the issue, and some members have branded him “greedy.”

He concludes the post: “This is causing a major rift and I’m worried that eventually she’ll cut me off and won’t let me have a relationship with the kids anymore. Part of me thinks maybe they do need the money more than me. Maybe I should just let the money go.”

Newsweek discussed the viral Reddit post that has 8,600 upvotes with S. Robert Fish, Jr., who said: “Over the years, I have found that most, but certainly not all, of my clients are unwilling to make unequal testamentary distributions to their children. When I am asked my opinion on the matter, I will say things such as ‘fair does not always mean equal.’ However, I believe that most people are still uncomfortable with the thought of providing for one child or children more than others whether it is because one child has children and the other does not or one child became an investment banker and the other a teacher, etc.”

Fish, who works for Fields and Dennis, LLP in Wellesley, Massachusetts, explained “there can be some resentment toward the childless child” when a loved one leaves inheritance.

“The child with no children should feel no guilt regarding how his parents decided to distribute their money and the sister should expect nothing from him. If she is upset with anyone, which I don’t think she should be, that disappointment should be directed toward her deceased parents and not her brother. He did not make the decision, the parents did,” Fish told Newsweek.

So far, over 4,000 users have commented on the post that was shared on September 3.

The top comment has 12,200 votes, it said: “NTA. Your parents decided to split their estate evenly. What you and your sister decide to do with your halves is completely up to you. I wouldn’t give one penny to sis or her kids.”

“I feel that the conversation about ‘you should open a bank account for my kids’ should have happened years ago and with the grandparents of the kids! As an uncle, OP has absolutely no responsibility for his niblings, especially economically. For all we know, sister might have had the ‘give money to my kids and not to my brother’—conversation with her parents before they passed, and got shot down, and this is her second attempt at not having to take responsibility for her own children’s savings. NTA,” said another.

The uncle has since updated the post and has praised internet users for helping him stand his ground. He states showing her the viral thread helped her and she “begrudgingly” agreed to giving her children some of her inheritance.

However, the man is willing to leave the children as the heirs to his estate if he never becomes a dad.

Newsweek reached out to u/FriesWithMacSauce for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

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