This Redditor is considering whether she should share her inheritance with her cousin. However, after much thought, she decided to keep it for herself. Was this a selfish move?
Eldest Grandchild
OP (Original Poster) is a 25-year-old woman who’s the eldest great-grandchild of her great-grandparents. Her brother, who is 22, is the second.
Trust Funds
OP’s great-grandparents left her and her brother a trust fund when they were born. This fund had grown to around $200,000 each.
OP said, “I’m planning on using my money for a down payment on a house eventually.”
Bad Timing?
OP shared that both of her great-grandparents died before her cousin, who was currently 18, was born. Since he didn’t exist while OP’s grandparents were still alive and setting aside money in their wills, her cousin didn’t receive anything from them.
Well, That’s Just Unfair
Her aunt, her cousin’s mom, recently found out about the trust fund. She immediately thought it was unfair that her son didn’t receive anything.
The Guilt-Tripping Began
She immediately reached out to OP and her brother, trying to guilt-trip them into giving her son a share of the inheritance.
OP’s aunt told them she knew “they would do the right thing” by splitting the money because it’s fair. She said it was “what their great-grandparents would have wanted them to do.”
Any Advice?
After her aunt contacted her, OP asked her grandmother for advice. She told OP that her parents, OP’s great-grandparents, left the money to her and her brother—it’s entirely up to them if they’ll share it with their cousin or not.
OP said, “She also made a good point that since there are now 30 plus great-grandchildren. If my aunt really wanted it to be ‘fair,’ then we would have to dole out the money among every other great-grandchild, and everyone would end up getting less than $15,000.
A Discussion Between Siblings
OP wasn’t sure what she should do. So, she and her brother discussed it and concluded that it was “technically not fair” for their cousin not to get anything.
But He’ll Be a Billionaire!
At the same time, OP and her brother considered that their cousin’s grandparents, whom they were not related to, were billionaires.
Their cousin is their only grandchild, so “he is set to inherit everything from them and is in no way hurting for money.”
Parents’ Advice
OP’s parents think that she and her brother should ignore their aunt. They advised them to keep the money and “use it to pay off any debts and get a head start on their adult lives.”
Her Thoughts
Thinking more deeply about things, OP said, “I didn’t do anything to earn the money, and it would be fine if I did give some of it up.”
She was torn about what she should do.
Thinking Things Through
After a few days of posting the story, OP added an edit. In the update, she mentioned that everyone’s comments helped her and her brother feel better about keeping the money.
So, she decided to write her aunt a letter, explaining that “She understands where she’s coming from. But they are going to use the inheritances, as their great-grandparents left them for them specifically.”
What the Community Thinks
Redditors reassured OP that her grandmother was right. The money’s theirs; they should use it for whatever they want.
“Not the a**hole. Your grandmother is right. That money was given to you and your brother. It’s yours to do with what you want. Your aunt was out of line for not only demanding that her son get some of the money but also for trying to guilt-trip you and your brother,” wrote one woman. Another said, “You have nothing to feel guilty for. It sounds like your cousin is going to be extremely well off and would have absolutely no need for any of your inheritance. Your aunt is being incredibly greedy and trying to get her hands on money that isn’t hers.”
What Would You Do in a Different Scenario?
OP’s post sparked a debate in the comments section, too. While people agreed that OP should use the money as she deems fit, some asked other Redditors if their advice would change if OP’s cousin weren’t set to inherit billions.
One said, “I’d like to first state that I 100% agree with you in this situation, that the money is OP’s to do with as she chooses. I am also curious if your opinion would change at all if the cousin’s family were not well off and, through no fault of his own, was in a financially disadvantaged state?” Then, a Redditor answered, “No, I don’t think I would change my answer. It’s not the cousin’s fault that he was born after the great-grandparents died, but the fact remains that they left the inheritance to OP and her brother. If either of them wanted to offer to help, that would be fine. But the aunt demanded that he get a share—yeah, that’s still a big nope.”
Ignore Your Aunt
Some users also told OP not to think about what her aunt is saying. Her great-grandparents left the money specifically to her and her brother, and there’s 100% a reason for it.
A person wrote, “Your great-grandparents knew you. They left this money to a kid they loved. Your aunt is being vile. Please ignore her, and please don’t blame your cousin for her b*******.” Another shared, “Came to say exactly this. That is completely your money. Your great-grandparents left it to you. Enjoy the opportunities it presents to you. Your cousin will be fine, and your aunt is out of line.”
What do you think? Should OP stick to her decision and keep the money for herself?
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This post first appeared as She Refused to Give Her $200,000 Inheritance to Her Cousin After Her Aunt Fought Over Her Share While Her Son Was Going to Inherit a Billionaire’s Fortune by Himself! on Quote Ambition.
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