'AITA for refusing to share my inheritance with sibling who cut ties and came back only for money?'

In a recent post on Reddit’s r/AITAH forum, a user named OwnBet5510 shared a deeply personal dilemma involving their estranged sibling, inheritance, and family dynamics.

The post, "AITA for refusing to split my inheritance with my estranged sibling who's now demanding money to cover their debt", quickly gained traction, with many users offering their support to the 26-year-old male, who described the emotional and financial turmoil surrounding the situation.

Sibling who severed ties from family demands half of inheritance after father’s death

"I grew up in what I thought was a typical family," the poster began. However, things took a sharp turn about five years ago when their older sibling, now 28 and non-binary, chose to sever all ties with the family.

Citing claims of "emotional neglect" and "favoritism," the sibling made a dramatic exit, cutting off all communication, including simple gestures like birthday wishes.

The user wrote, "About five years ago, they went completely no-contact with our parents, claiming "emotional neglect" and "favoritism." They made a big, dramatic exit, cutting everyone off—including me. No calls, no texts, not even a 'happy birthday.'"

He added, "It stung, but fine, I respected their choice and moved on."

Fast forward to this year, and tragedy struck when the family’s father died. The poster, already feeling the weight of the loss, took on the responsibility of organizing funeral arrangements and managing his father’s affairs.

Despite the pain, the user noted that their sibling was conspicuously absent during this time, offering no condolences and failing to attend the funeral.

It was only after the funeral, when the will was read, that the situation took another unexpected turn. The father had left everything to the user: "The house, the savings, everything."

According to the will, the sibling was deliberately excluded due to their decision to "walk away from the family." While the user admitted they didn’t expect the inheritance, they felt a sense of relief. "The inheritance was enough to pay off my student loans, buy a house, and still have a safety net," the OP wrote.

OP blamed for being manipulative after refusing sibling's demand for half of inheritance

However, the situation took a more complicated turn when the sibling learned of the inheritance through a mutual friend. They reached out for the first time in years — not to reconnect or apologize — but to demand a portion of the inheritance.

"They want half the inheritance, claiming it’s ‘only fair,’" the user shared. The sibling, who had reportedly been struggling financially, accused the user of being "inhumane" for not sharing the wealth, arguing that "family is family."

The poster refused, offering a clear explanation: "They chose to leave. They didn’t even show up for dad’s funeral. Why should I go against his final wishes to bail them out of their bad decisions? Now they’re going around, dragging my name through the mud, calling me selfish, greedy, and heartless."

Even mutual friends weighed in, urging the user to "do the right thing" and help their sibling because of their financial struggles.

"I can’t help but feel like this is manipulation," the user continued. "They ignored me for years, didn’t care about the family until there was money involved, and now I’m the bad guy for not wanting to share?"

The OP expressed that had the sibling made an effort to stay in touch or shown up for the funeral, they might have been more sympathetic, but as things stood, they saw their sibling’s actions as an attempt to secure a payout.

Reddit community supports OP, slams sibling's opportunistic behavior

The Reddit community has largely rallied behind the OP, with many agreeing that the sibling's behavior seemed opportunistic.

A user said, "NTA. Those mutual friends can start a pool of funds to help since they feel that way about it. Your dad had his will drawn up in a specific way for a reason."

Another added, "NTA. Your sibling doesn't get to ask for inheritance after going NC. Your father was also very clear that you were the sole beneficiary. You are respecting his wishes."

The third commentator remarked, "Funny how people don’t have a problem spending other people’s money. If your friends want to help them, then let them. NTA."

"Just show everyone the will where it say that it was your dad’s wishes. Everyone that say you have to do the right thing can help them with money then," said a supporter of the OP.

A person claimed, "Your siblings is no longer entitled to it because inheritance was left for family.... they made it pretty clear they're not part of the family anymore. NtA."

Other chimed in, "NTA. They dipped out for years and now want money? You're just following your dad's wishes, and that's fair."

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