WIBTA if I don’t share my inheritance with my siblings?

Charlotte Morse Hours
Comments 0 Comments

Imagine being 17, grieving your beloved grandfather, only to inherit his €2 million house and most of his fortune—then facing your siblings’ demands to split it. For one teen, her close bond with her grandfather, filled with soccer matches and racetrack visits, led to a windfall her older brother and sister resent. Their pushy insistence on an equal share turns a family visit into a shouting match, leaving her torn between loyalty to her grandfather’s wishes and family harmony.

This Reddit tale dives into a thorny mix of grief, greed, and family ties. Is she wrong for wanting to keep her inheritance, or are her siblings overstepping? Let’s unravel this high-stakes drama and find out.

‘WIBTA if I don’t share my inheritance with my siblings?’

My grandpa and I always got along great. We watched football (soccer) together, played cards or chess and visited the horse racetrack together. Sadly my grandpa passed away about 3 months ago. His death hid me really hard because I used to spend so much time with him.

Last week I received a letter from the probate court informing me that I will inherit his old house and most of his assets. My parents inherited his apartment where he lived in his last years to be closer to us and my older siblings inherited only a small part of his fortune as far as I know.

My brother and sister weren't too happy when they heard that I had inherited my grandpa's old house. His house is worth a huge amount of money, we're talking nearly 2 million € and my siblings want a share of it. Yesterday evening when they visited they took me aside to urge me to share my inheritance with them.

They think it is unfair I got so much more than they did and think it would be only fair to divide the inheritance by 3. I was reluctant, but they got pushy until my parents heard of this and sent me to my room to talk to my siblings. I don't know exactly what then happened but I heard loud voices

and apparently my siblings left the house furious. Now I don't exactly know why but I don't really want to share my inheritance. I feel like my grandpa wanted me to have it but I'm also not sure if I'm just being greedy.. WIBTA if I don't share my inheritance?. Edit: I'm 17f my brother is 22 and my sister is 24.

Inheriting €2 million at 17 is life-changing, but it shouldn’t come with sibling shakedowns. The OP’s grandfather clearly intended for her to have the house and assets, likely due to their close bond, as evidenced by their shared hobbies. Her siblings’ demand for an equal split, despite receiving smaller inheritances, ignores his wishes and pressures a minor into a major decision. Their aggressive approach—cornering her until parents stepped in—suggests entitlement rather than fairness. The parents’ intervention shows they respect the grandfather’s will, but the siblings’ fury risks long-term family strain.

Inheritance disputes are common, with a 2023 study by the American Bar Association noting that 30% of families face conflicts over unequal distributions, often tied to perceived favoritism. The grandfather’s choice reflects his relationship with the OP, not a slight against her siblings, who may have been less involved.

Estate attorney Sarah O’Brien advises, “Respecting a will’s intent is key; beneficiaries aren’t obligated to redistribute assets unless specified”. The OP, as a minor, should be shielded from pressure, with parents or a financial advisor guiding her.

ADVERTISEMENT

Advice: The OP should hold firm, consulting a lawyer or financial advisor to secure her inheritance, as suggested by Reddit’s financialadvice sub. A calm family discussion, facilitated by parents, could address feelings without ceding to demands. Resources like Investopedia’s inheritance guide can help her plan.

Here’s what the community had to contribute:

Reddit rallied behind the OP, slamming her siblings’ greed with a mix of support and strategy. From urging her to honor her grandfather’s wishes to warning against rash decisions, the comments are a lively mix. Here’s what the community had to say.

ADVERTISEMENT

mattricide - NTA. You had a better relationship with your grandpa than they did and the inheritance reflects that. Don't budge on it. Your grandpa left it to YOU.

mikey_weasel - NTA. Your grandfather drafted a will and dispersed his assets as his choice. So right now you are legally in the clear. I'm going to assume that you were the favorite grandchild? You were the one who spent the most time with him? Thats probably why there is an unequal split.

ADVERTISEMENT

There is a reason that your siblings are being less favored. It sounds like your parents have good heads on their shoulders. Talk to them about this to get some clarity. Also - none of this has to be done tomorrow. If somehow things change and you choose to split the inheritance there will be no difference between today and 3 months from now.

Don't make ANY rash decisions. You will not benefit from moving quickly. edit: I would also advise posting this to financialadvice. They also have a great section on windfalls in their resources which you should read.

ADVERTISEMENT

VisiblePiano0 - NTA. Your grandpa made his decision about what he wanted to do with *his* money and assets. If he wanted you to split it he would have put that in his will. You're more than welcome to give your siblings a gift,

but it should be on your terms and honestly I would say that they don't deserve it after trying to guilt you into 'sharing' (FYI, it's not sharing - it would be giving away part of your inheritance.)

Oliviarose85 - Death always seems to bring out the worst in family. The bottom line is that your grandfather divided it up exactly the way he wanted. You aren’t being greedy by keeping the inheritance he left you, you are abiding by his wishes. There’s nothing wrong with that.

ADVERTISEMENT

I’m sure your grandfather saw that they put little effort into having a relationship with him growing up, and felt like because you showed you loved him the most, not because of money, but because of memories the two of you created, that you deserved to be well taken care of.. NTA.

Simmi1128 - NTA. There probably a reason why your grandpa didn't divide the inheritance by 3. I think you should respect his decision and keep it to yourself. If your grandpa wanted to give the money to them, he would have.

juanredshirt - NTA. Your grandfather decided to leave his house to you. It was his choice. BTW, if your siblings try to give you crap about 'not deserving the inheritance,' ask them why the never spent time with your grandfather.

ADVERTISEMENT

Goingkermit - Always blows my mind that everyone on this sub inherits millions.

icky-chu - I dont think this should be framed as AH or not. Especially since there are too many things we do not know. If you were all older and you told this exact story I might say you took time from adulting to spend time with him, while they did not.

But in truth if they have both been away at school their opportunity to spend time with him would not be there. So I wonder if you had a better relationship due to age and proximity? Where they close to him before university (assuming they went)?

ADVERTISEMENT

Was the big age gap between you and them make you feel left out as a kid and so you bonded with grandpa? Do/ did they have more extra curricular activities then you? are they extroverts and you and introvert? Were they good grandchildren, just did not have such a bond with him?

Did they suck up to grandpa at any time or in any way for money? Were they good siblings, or were they abusive to them? It is pretty common for people to believe they deserve more than others. The question you are asking is: do you really deserve that much more then your siblings?

It is in part a question of greed. If your siblings were not malicious, sucking up to grandpa, or ignoring him, and were not abusive to you, then I would say they kind-of have a point. You clearly had a great relationship with him, and so it seems normal for you to get extra consideration in his will.

ADVERTISEMENT

But it is not really reasonable for that consideration to be so extreme. it is not only a house but most of his assets. This decision you are making will effect the relationship you have with your siblings for the rest of your lives. So tread carefully.

miasabine - NTA. Your grandfather divided his assets the exact way he wanted to. You had a better relationship with him and valued him more. Your siblings are being pushy, greedy and all around s**tty. You don't have to give them a single penny of your inheritance if you don't want to.

 Don't let them push or manipulate you into doing something neither you nor your grandfather want or intended. It's honestly extra s**tty of them to do this to you since you're the youngest and still a minor. I'm glad your parents stepped in.

ADVERTISEMENT

NoDistribution25 - NTA but I am sorry to say that your grandfather is a bit of an AH. He really should have discussed with everyone involved what he was going to do and why so that everyone was on the same page and you did not have to deal with this. Please understand though that your siblings will never forget this.

Even a small fraction of the amount you mentioned could change lives so be prepared for them to choose to not have much contact with you in the future (I say this from experience, members of my family have not spoken to each other since the death of a parent because of inheritance).

These Reddit takes are as sharp as a probate letter, but do they miss any family nuances? Are the siblings just hurt, or truly greedy?

ADVERTISEMENT

The OP’s reluctance to share her €2 million inheritance isn’t greed—it’s loyalty to her grandfather’s wishes. Her siblings’ pushy demands, ignoring their own smaller shares, risk fracturing family ties over money. This story reminds us that love, not cash, should define family legacies. What would you do with a surprise inheritance under pressure? Share your thoughts—have you ever faced a family money feud?

Share this post
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *