A 17-year-old has been backed online after refusing to share his inheritance with his stepbrother and half-siblings, following pressure from his mother and stepfather.
In a post shared on the popular AmItheA****** subreddit, the teen wrote that the money, set aside in trust by his late father, was intended to secure his future.
His stepbrother, who has a medical condition, and his half-siblings are struggling financially, and his mother believes that sharing his inheritance would be the right thing to do.
The teen, who goes by u/Latter_Pudding_9938 on Reddit, wrote that he won't be going to college but will instead pursue a trade. "My mom isn't super happy about it but she knows college has been pushed on me for almost two years and my mind hasn't changed. So she's accepted that she won't change my mind and nobody will," he wrote.
The original poster (OP) said that his father received the funds as part of a malpractice settlement when the OP's grandmother died, and before his death, ensured the money was put into a trust fund with the help of the OP's grandfather and uncle.
The conflict arose when his stepbrother's medical expenses depleted the family's savings, leaving little for his college education. The teen's mother also pointed out that his younger half-siblings have no savings for their future education.
His mother and stepfather suggested that since he won't be using his inheritance for college, he should be a "good brother" and let his stepbrother and half-siblings pay it back or give it away to them to help them with their futures.
The OP refused and said he would not be changing his mind. When the OP's mother asked him why, he said that it was his money from his dad. "I could buy a house with it. I could protect my future with it. I could save it for my future kids. But I don't want to risk it not being paid back when it was dad's way of securing my future," he wrote.
At the time of writing, the post has received over 7,500 upvotes and over 1,500 comments. One Redditor congratulated the OP for standing firm, while another called the request to hand over the inheritance "ridiculous."
Many others pointed out that while the OP won't be attending college, he will still need to set aside savings for potential trades tools and equipment to pursue a future career.
Newsweek spoke to financial planner Steven Kibbel who explained that the OP's decision to safeguard the inheritance is both financially sound and responsible.
"The situation the poster's in is tricky, but at the heart of it, this inheritance is about his future. It's money that was set aside by his dad to ensure he has a financial safety net, and that's a pretty powerful gift," he told Newsweek.
Kibbel acknowledged the potential pitfalls of lending money to family members without formal agreements.
"His concerns about not getting the money back if he lends it are valid too. Loans between family members, especially when there's no formal agreement in place, can create tension, and if they're unable to repay him, it could lead to resentment or strain their relationships. Protecting your own future isn't selfish; it's responsible," he said.
Another Redditor simply urged the OP not to give his inheritance to his half-siblings and stepbrother.
"We are all pulling for you to have the strength to say no. A firm no. Keep on saying no, and if they won't give up, go low contact or no contact," the user commented.
The OP was declared not the a****** by the Reddit community.
Newsweek reached out to u/Latter_Pudding_9938 via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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