He Refused to Give Up Half of His $400,000 Inheritance to His Cousin Because He Knew His Uncle Was Only Trying to Bully and Manipulate Him

This Redditor had turned to the community after facing his uncle’s bullying tactics regarding the money he would inherit. Should he give up his share, or should he fight for it?

Grandmother’s Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Ranta Images

OP (Original Poster) is a 37-year-old man who recently found out he will inherit $400,000 when his 95-year-old grandmother dies.

In his post, he said he was recently approached by his uncle, who managed his grandmother’s estate and was told that “her irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT) of $800,000 was to be split equally between him and my mom upon my grandmother’s death.”

Mom’s Passing

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com

Sadly, OP’s mother passed away two years before this story was posted due to cancer. He said that per the rules of his grandmother’s ILIT, he’s now the sole beneficiary of his mom’s $400,000 portion.

A Call From His Uncle

Image Credit: Shutterstock / fizkes

A week after finding out about his inheritance, OP received a call from his uncle. He said that it was now his grandmother’s wish that OP shared half of his inheritance with his cousin—his uncle’s son.

What Will You Be Giving?

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com

OP’s inheritance was supposedly for his late mom, and he knew that his uncle would be receiving $400,000 as well. So, he asked how much he would share with his own son.

He said he would give his son nothing and keep the $400,000 for himself. OP’s uncle said it’s because he’s “the son of my grandmother.”

Let’s Put It on Paper

Image Credit: Shutterstock / REDPIXEL.PL

OP’s uncle didn’t stop there. He told OP he would ask him to sign a contract renouncing his claim to 50% of his inheritance and sign it to his cousin.

After all, legally, his uncle can’t change the rules of the trust.

A Grandma’s Confused Mind

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com

A week after OP’s conversation with his uncle, he received calls from his angry grandmother, who has dementia.

OP shared, “She wants my cousin and I to have equal money—$200,000 each. It has evolved from $100,000 to $2,000 and now $200,000. She is unable to articulate where the money is coming from and alludes to it coming from ‘me, my money, my will.’”

Manipulative Uncle

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Cast Of Thousands

Per OP, it seemed like his grandmother wasn’t aware that the source of the money she was talking about was the trust. So, for OP, it was clear that his uncle was manipulating his grandma.

He said, “My uncle has been coaching her and hiding the details of how the trust money is to be dispersed.”

You’re Being Greedy

Image Credit: Shutterstock / fizkes

OP said that everything had gotten worse since, and his grandmother recently asked him if he wanted to be written out of the family or the will because he was “being greedy.”

Apart from this, OP had also received messages from his uncle’s wife saying he was a lousy grandson with no relationship with his grandmother. However, he disagreed with that and said in his post, “All untrue. I love my grandmother dearly and want this to stop.”

Another Issue or Just More Lies?

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Prostock-studio

OP added that his uncle brought up another issue: there would be no money in his grandmother’s estate or will when she dies because of her high cost of living. Therefore, there would be no money left for him or his cousin.

He said this was why he wanted OP to split the inheritance that was supposed to be for his mom—because his cousin would not be receiving anything.

Lawyering Up

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Cast Of Thousands

OP added an edit, saying that he already got a lawyer, and the lawyer said his uncle was clearly in the wrong.

He shared a snippet of his conversation with the lawyer, saying, “It’s an irrevocable trust and was set up this way and not to be changed. The money is solely mine as the beneficiary of my mother, who passed.”

No Obligation

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Supavadee butradee

His lawyer also gave him more peace of mind when he told him he was not obligated to do anything. If his uncle wanted his cousin to have money, he could give him money—it was not his or his mom’s responsibility.

Regarding his grandma’s calls, the lawyer suggested, “If the calls increase from my grandmother, then I could register an elder abuse claim and take further legal action.”

Creepy Uncle

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Rainer Fuhrmann

OP’s uncle didn’t stop with his manipulation and bullying, and OP said that on the day his other grandmother passed away, he sent him a creepy video saying now he’s lost two grandmothers.

He shared, “In the video, he shows the insurance premium bill and then shows himself crumpling it up in his hand and then tearing it to pieces. He also says it’s my decision that I made, and it doesn’t matter to him.”

Redditors’ Two Cents

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Ink Drop

Redditors found OP’s uncle’s actions—especially toward his grandma—very concerning and appalling.

One said, “Definitely not the a**hole. I’m glad you’re standing your ground. Do not sign anything! Your uncle is absolutely in the wrong here. He’s manipulating your grandmother, as you believe. Get yourself a lawyer whose expertise is estates, stat. Your uncle more than likely is in the midst of making attempts to change the trust since he couldn’t get you to sign away your rights to your money. He’s the a**hole—big time.”

Don’t Trust Anything He Says

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com

There was also a lawyer in the thread who tried to help OP see how suspicious his uncle was being.

He advised, “Trust nothing he says. For all you know, Grandma could have left everything to your mom or to you. The amount of money could be much more or much less than $400,000. This is really suspicious and what someone who is stealing money might say.”

What Do You Think?

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com

What’s your opinion on OP’s uncle? What would you do if you were OP?

More From Quote Ambition

Image Credit: Shutterstock / ESB Professional

This Reddit user expressed her frustrations online when a grown man refused to move to the next piece of equipment so she could use the machine for her one-minute circuit workout!

She Saw Red and Got a Rude, Grown Man Banned From Her Gym for a One-Minute Workout After He Called Her Insulting Names

She Refused to Give Her Mother-In-Law the Money Her Rich Husband Left for Their Children After He Died, Now People Consider Her a Selfish Woman

Image Credit: Shutterstock / ABO PHOTOGRAPHY

Family problems continued following this Redditor after she followed her dead husband’s wishes and saved the money he left for their kids.

She Refused to Give Her Mother-In-Law the Money Her Rich Husband Left for Their Children After He Died, Now People Consider Her a Selfish Woman

He Told His Son-In-Law He Was Not His Grandson’s Biological Parent and Therefore Had No Right to Stop Him From Seeing His Mom

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com

In this Reddit thread, a grandfather takes it upon himself to make decisions for his grandson’s life. But is his judgment something his grandson’s parents can trust?

He Told His Son-In-Law He Was Not His Grandson’s Biological Parent and Therefore Had No Right to Stop Him From Seeing His Mom

She Banned Her Future Mother-In-Law From Attending Her Wedding, and Things Just Got Chaotic for the Soon-To-Be Wedded Couple

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com

A Reddit user wants to know if she’s in the wrong for banning her fiancé’s mom from her big day after she spouts hurtful words at her and her daughter.

She Banned Her Future Mother-In-Law From Attending Her Wedding, and Things Just Got Chaotic for the Soon-To-Be Wedded Couple

Was He Right For Telling His Bratty And Spoiled Sister-in-Law He Never Liked Her When She Suddenly Confessed Her Feelings for Him?

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Cast Of Thousands

This Reddit user wants to know if he’s wrong for telling his sister-in-law he never liked her after she told him her feelings. He got brutally honest and told her he’d hated her ever since!

Was He Right For Telling His Bratty And Spoiled Sister-in-Law He Never Liked Her When She Suddenly Confessed Her Feelings for Him?

This post first appeared as He Refused to Give Up Half of His $400,000 Inheritance to His Cousin Because He Knew His Uncle Was Only Trying to Bully and Manipulate Him on Quote Ambition.

Karen Danao

Hi, I’m Karen, a content curator and writer for Quote Ambition; I’m also a marketing and advertising professional. Beyond the keyboard and the screen, I’m someone who’s out to enjoy every bit that life has to offer!

Poetry, philosophy, history, and movies are all topics I love writing about! However, my true passion is in traveling, photography, and finding common ground to which everyone from different cultures can relate.

With the many places I’ve been to, I found that love, inspiration, and happiness are some things that bring people together. No matter how different we are on the outside, I’m a true believer that our emotions don’t lie; if you dig deep into our psyche, we’re all the same inside.

This belief was further amplified when I joined Quote Ambition. Through the quotes I’ve read, collected, organized, and written about, I found that humans are resilient, creative, and compassionate.

We take from each others’ hearts and courage, and it’s through our individual experiences that we learn how to rise above our challenges and pain. In so many ways, Quote Ambition is a platform that allows people from all over the world to gain the inspiration they need anytime, anywhere!