In a cascade of family drama and monetary quarrels, we find ourselves at the center of an intriguing inheritance fight. Our narrative features a woman who has taken a brave stand for her stepdaughter, questioning societal standards and the strict meanings of family. Despite the stepdaughter not being endowed with anything, she firmly insists that her brother share his daughter’s estate with her stepdaughter.
Her Cousin, Laura, Passed Away Last Year
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Her death was a devastating blow to the whole family. But, as is often the case, there is now some conflict regarding the will.
“Laura’s will left everything to her husband and future children, but if not, a third would go to her parents and a third to charity,” the OP has said.
Laura Died Childless and Without a Husband
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The final third chunk of the will was to be divided between the six niblings (her nieces and nephews).
“Me and my brother are her only cousins from her mom’s side (my aunt), but from her dad’s, she has 9. From all of us, there are a total of 7 kids, including my brother’s daughter and my stepdaughter.”
She Was Hurt When She Realized Her Stepdaughter Had Been Left Out of the Will
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“I brought [it] up to my brother that he should share niece’s inheritance with SD. I said it’s more fair this way and would lower resentment between the kids later on.”
The OP’s niece is only 5, whereas her stepdaughter is 16 and would benefit from having access to that money in two years’ time.
She’s Not Asking For Half. Just a Portion
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Her request didn’t go down too well. Her brother accused her of being greedy and that the money was for his daughter alone.
“I got upset and said no one in this family really cares about SD and are more focused on blood ties.”
No One Cares
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The OP feels like no one in the family treats her stepdaughter like she is part of the family, and this will business has cemented this fact.
“He’s mad at me, but some people who know what’s happened are on my side,” she said.
Is She Being Difficult?
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She feels conflicted about whether she’s in the wrong for wanting her stepdaughter to have a share of the money.
So, she did the first thing that came to mind: she took to an online forum.
Most Folks Agree That She Is Definitely in the Wrong Here
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“Yes, you are. Like, a lot. This is incredibly bad form on your part. Your cousin chose who she wanted her estate to be divided amongst.
Does it suck that your SD wasn’t one of the people? Sure. That doesn’t give you the right to demand that somebody give her a share of the inheritance. That’s crude and gross.”
The Irony Is Not Lost on the Users
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One commenter said:
“It stood out to me that she only asked her blood brother to give up a portion of his child’s. I wonder why she isn’t asking the other cousins. Oh, that’s right. They aren’t related. The irony.”
Most Agreed She Is Being Selfish
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One commenter noted how rare (and lucky) it is to receive any inheritance from a cousin in the first place.
“The fact that any of them got anything should be a surprise. The 16 yr old was fine without this money before. Why are they now not fine because their cousin got some?”
They Think She Is Full of Entitlement
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Online users didn’t hold back about the OP’s attitude of entitlement – even if it was for her stepdaughter’s benefit.
“Will OP also expect their brother to share with them if they get a raise or promotion? I don’t see how this is different than that.”
The OP Has Only Been Married for Two Years
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Users feel that her request is even more shameful because the stepdaughter has only been in the OP’s life for two years.
“I cannot imagine looking at that situation and demanding money for a cousin’s step-daughter, especially after a marriage of only two years at that point (OP didn’t raise this stepchild from birth as their own).”
Some Even Accused Her of Using Her Stepdaughter as an Excuse
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“The stepchild is an excuse. She can’t flat out say I want money, and I should be more important than your 5yo.”
While another user defended her, saying that grief has a funny effect but that she was still wrong.
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Relative
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Many users agreed that the fact that the family was fighting over the inheritance was tacky.
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