OP (Original Poster) received more than he expected when his great-uncle passed away. His parents wanted him to even out the scales and give his brother a bigger share, but he refused!
Losing a Part of Him
OP had always been close to his great-uncle. Sadly, he passed away after not being well for a while.
He was already in his mid-90s, and had a few “miserable years” after his “much younger” wife, who was in her 70s, passed away due to cancer.
A Grandfather in His Heart
For him, his great-uncle had always been like a grandfather of sorts. They were close, and his great-uncle always told him how much OP meant to him.
Precious Memories
OP would visit him a few times a month when he lived nearby. When he moved, he’d call him every week.
A Different Story
However, OP’s brother wasn’t as close to him as OP was. He tried to maintain contact with their great-uncle but failed.
OP explained that his great-uncle was a “really difficult person” and had a “short list of people he liked.”
The Only Grandchildren
OP’s great-uncle married late at 75 and had no kids. So, OP and his brother were essentially his only grandkids.
Because of this, they were two of the few who got a piece of his estate.
Hidden Money
When he died, OP and the rest of their family found out that he had around $7,500,000 in assets. These were all liquid cash—no property or anything.
OP noted that he had always been extremely frugal in his life and had been a smart and lucky investor. So, though it was a surprise, it wasn’t wholly unfounded.
Their Respective Shares
Out of the $7,500,000 inheritance, OP got 39%, which was around $3,000,000! On the other hand, his brother only got 9%, which was around $675,000.
He wrote, “Obviously, it’s a huge amount of money, and that alone I have been trying to process as his attorney wraps up his estate and prepares to distribute his assets.”
Even Out the Scales
Because of the big difference between their inheritances, OP’s parents had been pressuring him to give his brother half of his share. They wanted their sons’ inheritances to be “equal.”
OP noted that he had considered this, but even his brother wasn’t asking for anything.
OP’s Indecisiveness
To put it simply, OP doesn’t know what to do. He’d been going “back and forth” on this issue but had yet to come to a decision.
He shared, “Although the last thing I’d want is to create tension between me and my brother, his nine percent share is still a lot of money.”
A Possible Solution
After some time, OP’s brother told him he planned to buy a house. This was a lightbulb moment for OP, and he suggested he could pay for the house’s down payment using his share of the inheritance.
Then, he could own a part of the house. For him, it was a “way of sorts” to help things be more even.
Not What He Expected
OP is grateful for the inheritance he received. However, a part of him wishes he and his brother had just gotten equal shares of the estate.
He said, “Just giving away money is not an easy decision.”
Would It Be a Bad Move?
Until now, OP doesn’t know what to do.
He asked, “Would I be the a**hole for not sharing my inheritance evenly with my brother? I was left with four times as much as him, and I feel like I could be seen as an a**hole if I don’t share it with him.”
What the Online Community Has to Say About the Issue
Redditors put OP’s parents under the spotlight for their selfish suggestion.
“Not the a**hole. Your parents are a**holes,” said a top commenter.
Another said, “Just respect the great uncle’s wishes. He knew what he was doing.”
There’s a Reason for Everything
A woman on the thread also reassured OP by saying that he was the rightful owner of 39% of his great-uncle’s estate.
She said, “Not the a**hole. One, your brother wasn’t close to this great uncle. Two, your great-uncle gave you the larger share, all the while still giving your brother money too—and you also stated 9% is still a lot of money, so it’s not like your brother will be broke. Three, you can reassure your brother that you will always be there for him if he is ever stuck financially.”
The same person added, “Your great-uncle wanted you to have all of this money. If I were you, I wouldn’t split it but would be there if other family members were in need. Don’t listen to your parents, it’s bad advice. Especially if your brother isn’t asking for money.”
What should OP do? What advice would you give him?
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This post first appeared as He Refused to Give His Brother Half of the $3,000,000 Inheritance He Received From His Great-Uncle, Even if He Got 4X More Than Him. Was He Being Selfish? on Quote Ambition.
