This Redditor received a hefty inheritance from his neighbors. He didn’t expect that much money, and now his mom wants him to leave his brother a bigger share, but he doesn’t want to!
Sweet and Independent Old Couple
OP (Original Poster) and his family lived across a sweet old couple. Though they were fiercely independent, there were many things they couldn’t do.
The husband had a rare muscle disease ever since he was a teenager, and the wife had grown frail over the years. He wrote, “They couldn’t do strenuous tasks such as shoveling snow, mowing lawn, gardening, and more.”
The First One to Help
Because of this, every time it snowed, if the couple needed their lawn mowed, or if they needed anything else, OP would be the first one to step up. He’d try his best to help the couple out.
He mentioned that his brother would sometimes, but rarely, help since he was “never a morning person, had his own life, and other reasons.”
Free Labor
OP never expected nor accepted any form of payment, as he did it out of the goodness of his heart. He’d constantly turn them down, saying he didn’t need the money and that his pockets were full.
Greedy Mom
However, it was a different story for OP’s mom. When she came into the picture, she would come out to help, go to their porch to wait for the couple, and take all the money the couple offered.
Grandpa’s Coin Collection
After some time, the couple would call OP over and ask him to come inside their house. This was when OP discovered that the old man was a coin collector.
OP wrote, “I asked about his coins, what type he collected, etc.”
A Shared Interest
The man was surprised that someone as young as OP would be interested in collecting coins. Soon, it became a “routine” that every time something came up, the old man would tell OP about his new coins.
An Old Man’s Promise
After a while, the old man promised OP that he would get his entire coin collection when he passed away.
OP felt “honored,” and he had no idea what to say. He told his mom, and she was confused, not understanding what collecting coins was all about, but OP was as happy as he could be!
Goodbye, Old Friend
Sadly, the old man died two months before this story was posted due to bone cancer. OP was shell-shocked and sad.
On the other hand, OP’s mom was “excited.” OP wrote, “She asked things like, ‘When are you getting the collection?’ and ‘What are you gonna do with it?’ This gave me a weird feeling, but I thought nothing of it.”
A Hefty Inheritance
OP eventually got his hands on the old man’s coin collection. After going through everything, he learned that it had an estimated worth of around $50,000 to $100,000!
He said, “I was floored! I told my parents I was going to sort through it all, and I was going to keep the more expensive coins to myself, saving them for later in life and selling duplicates or the lesser coins.”
Mom’s Odd Comments
OP’s mom started saying a lot of “odd comments” like, “Maybe you should start paying some rent.” She also implied that OP should start contributing more to their household expenses.
However, his dad was against this and told OP that he should save it for his education and future.
Nosy Tendencies
His mom stopped talking about him paying rent. However, she’d still snoop, look through OP’s collection, and “eye up” expensive pieces.
She would then ask, “Are you going to give some to your brother?”
Minimal Help
OP said he would share some of what he received, but “not a large portion,” as he didn’t go to help the couple “nearly as much” as he did. He, after all, had a bond with the old man that no one else had.
His mom started getting angry, calling OP an “a**hole.” She also said OP was “greedy” and would tell his dad, behind his back, that “that boy is selfish; he always has been.”
Stingy but Not Selfish
OP admitted that he had been “a bit stingy” in the past when it came to spending money. However, he was never selfish.
He wrote, “I would always offer to help my family, and even suggested that part of my paychecks go towards house upgrades in the future.”
What the Community Has to Say
Users reminded OP that the old man wanted him—not his brother—to have the money. They also told him to be careful should he give his brother a share because it would probably not be the last time his mom or brother asked for money.
A top commenter said, “Not the a**hole. The old man wanted you to have it. You haven’t stumbled across it on the street. You are fulfilling an elderly man’s wishes. If he had wanted your brother to have it, he would have willed him something. You need to respect his wishes. First, it will be sharing it with your brother. Then, it will be sharing it with your mother. That’s what this is really about.”
Putting His Mom Under the Spotlight
Some commended OP’s dad for sticking up for him. But on the other hand, Redditors put his mom under the spotlight for her greed and selfishness.
“Not the a**hole; your dad is right. The inheritance was to you. You’re the person the neighbors had a good relationship with. It’s your choice what to do with it now—not hers,” wrote one user.
The same person added, “Your mom sounds very insensitive and kinda greedy. I’d look into finding a secure place to store the collection as soon as possible, given your mom’s reaction. Maybe a bank safety deposit box if it’s as valuable as you say.”
Do you think OP’s mom was being unfair and greedy? What would you do?
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This post first appeared as He Refused to Evenly Split the $100,000 Inheritance He Received From His Neighbors With His Brother. He Didn’t Help Them Much, but His Mom Says He’s a “Greedy, Selfish Jerk!” on Quote Ambition.
