'AITA for honoring my dad’s will and not splitting his inheritance equally with my sister?'

Fighting over a parent's inheritance is one of the most heartbreaking issues in families, often damaging otherwise healthy relationships.

Now, a 28-year-old Redditor is sharing his family drama. The situation involves him and his 25-year-old sister, who is set to receive a smaller portion of their father's inheritance.

Tensions rise when the brother refuses to grant his sister’s request for an equal share. As the debate unfolds, the internet weighs in on who’s in the wrong in this family dispute.

28-year-old man shares struggles with father's will

A Reddit user, Feisty_Implement6823, posted on January 4 with the title, "AITA for not wanting to share my inheritance with my sister?"

The 28-year-old male shared the emotional struggle of losing his father, explaining, "It was a really tough time, but we knew it was coming because he had been sick for a while. Before he passed, he made it clear in his will that I would inherit the majority of his estate, including his house and a significant amount of money. My sister (25F) would receive a smaller amount, mostly sentimental items and a bit of cash."

He then detailed the strained relationship between his sister and their father, "Here’s the thing: my sister and my dad didn’t have a good relationship. She moved out when she was 18, and they barely spoke after that. My dad tried to reconnect several times, but she always shut him down. I, on the other hand, took care of him during his illness, visiting almost every day and handling all his medical appointments."

The situation took a turn when his sister reacted angrily to the inheritance distribution, "Now, my sister is furious. She’s calling me selfish and saying that it’s unfair she got so little. She thinks I should split the inheritance 50/50. I told her I respected Dad’s wishes and that I don’t think it’s my responsibility to change what he wanted, especially given the circumstances."

He explained, "She argues that family is family, and it’s not fair to punish her for their estranged relationship, but I think it’s not my fault they didn’t get along. She had years to fix things with him, but she chose not to."

Adding to the tension, the 28-year-old revealed that his mother (who is divorced from his father) is supporting his sister, urging him to "do the right thing" and "give her more money to keep the peace. Some friends agree with her, while others think I’m justified in keeping what I was given." He concluded his post with a question to the Reddit community, "So, AITA for not wanting to share my inheritance with my sister?"

28-year-old brother details sister's estrangement from father

After receiving comments on Reddit questioning the authenticity of his situation, the 28-year-old Redditor posted an update to clarify the details of the family dispute over his father’s inheritance.

He wrote, "I’ve seen some comments saying this sounds fake or that I’m leaving out key details, so let me clarify a few things."

He explained that his sister’s estrangement from their father didn't happen overnight, and how it had escalated over time: "She blamed him for the split, and even though Dad tried to reconcile over the years, she was unwilling to meet him halfway. I’m not saying she’s a bad person—divorces are messy—but it’s not like Dad cut her off for no reason."

He then addressed the idea that his father may have played favorites, stating, "I know some of you might think Dad was playing favorites, but I don’t see it that way. I think he divided things based on who was there for him in his final years. It wasn’t about punishment—it was about recognition."

He also responded to accusations that he was portraying himself as the "golden child": "I promise that’s not my intention. My sister had her reasons for stepping back, but I stepped up because I felt it was the right thing to do. That’s why this situation is so hard. I’m trying to honor my dad’s wishes, but I also don’t want to completely ruin my relationship with my sister. Hope this clears up some of the gaps!"

Brother provides clarification after Redditors question his family's crisis

The Redditor made an effort to provide further clarification and clear the air for those following the discussion. 

To explain the reasons behind his parents' divorce, he said, "My dad worked long hours running his own business, and my mom felt neglected. She also said Dad had a “controlling” personality, which caused a lot of tension. On the other hand, Dad felt Mom wasn’t supportive of his career and resented him for working so much. Eventually, they just couldn’t make it work, and they decided to separate."

He also addressed why his sister harbored resentment toward their father over the divorce: "Mom didn’t exactly help—she would make comments about how Dad 'cared more about his business than his kids.' I think this shaped my sister’s perspective and made her more distant from him"

Regarding the conflict between his sister and their father, he detailed how she repeatedly avoided him, stating, that she would ignore "gifts or letters, and she’d never acknowledge them."

He also explained a key turning point, "One of the big breaking points came when she graduated high school. Dad showed up to her graduation uninvited because he wanted to celebrate her, but she got upset and accused him of 'trying to make it about himself'. After that, they barely spoke." 

In response to the question about why his sister never visited their father during his illness, he shared, "This is something only my sister can fully explain, but I think it goes back to their strained relationship. By the time Dad got sick, they hadn’t spoken in years. I reached out to her multiple times, telling her how serious things were, but she said she 'wasn’t ready' to see him. Dad was hurt but never angry—he just said, 'She has to come on her own terms.' Unfortunately, she never did.."

When asked why their father didn’t split the inheritance 50/50, he said, "I asked myself this too. I think Dad felt the inheritance should reflect the relationships he had. He knew I had been there for him throughout his illness, and he wanted to recognize that."

He wrapped up the post, “At the same time, he didn’t want to completely exclude my sister, which is why he left her sentimental items and some money. I don’t think it was about punishing her—I think he just wanted to acknowledge the reality of our family dynamic."

Internet supports brother who honors dad's wishes

Upon hearing about the Redditor's struggles with following his father's will and his sister's reaction, the internet has rallied to offer support for him.

A Reddit user stated, "NTA. Your dad didn’t leave you the estate to play Robin Hood. She distanced herself for years, and now she wants the perks? Nah. Honoring his wishes isn’t being selfish, it’s just following instructions. If your sister wanted a bigger cut, she should’ve RSVP’d to family life earlier."

One person wrote, "So family is family now, but it wasn't when your dad tried to have a relationship with her? Honor dad's wishes. NTA."

One commented, "NTA. Your dad made his wishes clear, and it’s not your fault she didn’t fix their relationship. She can’t ignore him for years and then expect a payday. And you mother that on her side was I think want a cut too."

Someone else shared, "Keep the peace= be the doormat. Just don’t. If it costs your relationship with your sister then she doesn’t love you anyway. NTA unless you cave. Then you would be."

A user on Reddit claimed, "Nta, she should not care about his money if she did not care about him. If he was so terrible then she should want nothing from him."

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