AITA If I don’t give my sister any of my inheritance?

Picture a cozy family home, once filled with laughter, now heavy with the weight of loss and a father’s final wishes. A young man, barely 21, stands at the crossroads of loyalty to his late father and a sister’s desperate plea for a share of a fortune. After their father’s death, his unexpected will left the bulk of his crypto wealth to his son, bypassing his daughter entirely. Her history of financial missteps looms large, stirring a family drama that’s as heartfelt as it is divisive.

The tension crackles like static in the air. The brother, guided by his father’s stern instructions, offers to buy his sister what she needs but draws a hard line at handing over cash. Her anger boils over, leaving their once-close bond frayed. It’s a story of grief, trust, and the tricky balance of family loyalty versus personal responsibility that tugs at the heartstrings.

‘AITA If I don’t give my sister any of my inheritance?’

My (21m) father (55) recently died from the sickness. Before his death though he earned a LOT of money through crypto and stuff. He got in really early and amassed a large net worth. We grew up poor until I was about 10 before he started making lots of money.

Before he died he changed his will and left 20% to my mother and 80% to me. He left my sister(24f) nothing. He had originally intended to leave her 40%, me 40% and my mom 20%. But he cut my sister out as over the years she has been conned out of money from multiple different men in her life.

When my sister and I turned 21, my father gave us $1m for our 21st birthday. My sister got scammed out of roughly $600k of this money from 3 different boyfriends in the 3 years since. Because of this my father said she wasn’t getting anything, and we all said fair enough. But we didn’t think he’d leave her **literally** nothing.

My sister does still has over $150k from her birthday though. My father told me, before he died to get my sister anything she wants, but don’t give her a dollar. That’s what I intend to do. My mother is also agreed to this. My aunts and grandmom think we should give her something though.

My sister and I were really close and recently asked me for some money. I told her that anything she needs I’ll buy her but I’m not giving her any money at all. She’s furious at me and says I’m her little brother, not her dad and that I’m being selfish. She hasn’t spoke to me since.. AITA?

This inheritance saga is a tangled web of family loyalty and financial caution. The brother’s refusal to share cash honors his father’s explicit wishes, but his sister’s hurt feelings highlight a deeper rift. Both sides have merit: he’s protecting the wealth from her proven recklessness, while she feels cast out by a father’s harsh judgment. It’s a classic case of love clashing with pragmatism.

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The broader issue is financial literacy, especially among young adults. A 2023 National Financial Educators Council report found that 65% of Gen Z lack basic financial management skills, often leading to poor decisions like those of the sister. Her $600,000 loss to scams underscores a need for better education on spotting red flags in relationships and investments.

Financial planner Suze Orman advises, “Money is a tool for security, not a toy for reckless spending”. Applied here, the father’s decision to cut his daughter out reflects a protective instinct, but it risks alienating her. The brother’s offer to buy necessities is a practical compromise, aligning with Orman’s emphasis on controlled support over blind generosity.

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For solutions, the brother could explore a trust, as some Redditors suggested, to provide his sister with structured support without direct cash. Financial counseling could also help her rebuild skills and confidence. Open family discussions, perhaps mediated, could mend emotional wounds while reinforcing boundaries. This approach balances compassion with the father’s intent, ensuring the inheritance serves its purpose without fueling further conflict.

Here’s how people reacted to the post:

Reddit didn’t hold back, serving up a mix of sympathy and tough love. Here’s what the community had to say, with a dash of wit to keep things lively:

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[Reddit User] − NTA, she is clearly irresponsible with money and I think it’s completely reasonable and very nice on your part to buy her things but not just give her the money strait up. You’re being smart & I am sorry for your loss, this must be a tough situation.

teresajs − NTA She has $150k. It's absurd that she's asking you for money. Yes, even though she was cut out of the will. This is someone who doesn't even value $150k (she's treating it the same as $0). Hold onto your inheritance. See what your sister does with her $150k. Use that as guidance when deciding how much help to give her in the future (if any).

WellAckshully − You are NTA but your father should have set up a trust for your sister rather than giving her share to you.

dcm510 − NTA. It’s your father’s money and he gave you very clear and specific instructions on what he wishes you do with it. The fact that she’s asking you for money when you know she has $150k is a *massive* red flag, especially when she’s already been scammed *three times* for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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Petty25betty − NTA. You offered to use the money to get what she needs. If she doesn't take the offer that's her problem

Beautiful_mistakes − NTA $600 hundred thousand dollars!?!?!?! For boyfriend’s?!?!? I absofuckinglutely wouldn’t give her a dime.

Slow-Bumblebee-8609 − NTA. Your father was right, your sister cannot be trusted with actual money.

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CraftyPirateCraft − Lol who believes this b**lshit

sjohnson7645 − I want to say NTA because it wasn’t written that way in the will, but you are carrying out your father’s wishes as part of managing the estate. Is she aware of this arrangement, because that might be important? Also if she has $150K why does she need more money?

thatdoesntseemright1 − NTA. If you want to do the right thing then set up a trust for her where she can get income but no principal from the trust, and you are the trustee.

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These Reddit takes are as fiery as a family reunion barbecue, but do they capture the full nuance of this inheritance drama? It’s a split verdict, with plenty of food for thought.

This tale of a brother standing firm on his father’s wishes while his sister fumes raises thorny questions about fairness, family, and financial responsibility. Is he right to gatekeep the inheritance, or should he bend for the sake of sibling love? Grief and money make uneasy bedfellows, and this story proves it. What would you do if you were in his shoes, balancing a parent’s legacy with a sibling’s plea? Share your thoughts below!

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