If you’re close with your family members, there’s a good chance you would do anything for them. But it’s a bit unreasonable for relatives who have barely spoken to you for decades to suddenly expect special treatment.
One woman recently shared a story on the Entitled People subreddit detailing how an estranged aunt came out of the woodwork to request that her nieces use their inheritance to buy a house for her. Below, you’ll find all of the details, as well as some of the reactions amused readers had to the story.
This woman and her sister received a significant inheritance after losing their mother
Image credits: Polina Zimmerman / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Then an estranged aunt conveniently resurfaced requesting that the money be spent on her
Image credits: Curtis Adams / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: bowieified
Less than a third of households in the United States receive any inheritance at all
Receiving an inheritance is bittersweet. It means that you’ve lost a loved one, and potentially, your entire life has been turned upside down in an instant. However, while you’re grieving, planning a funeral and accepting the changes that have come to your life, it can be comforting to know that you won’t have to worry about finances for a while. If you’ve inherited a significant sum, your loved one has made sure that they got to look out for you one last time.
Unfortunately, however, the vast majority of us don’t inherit as much as we expect to. Yahoo Finance reports that, on average, American households inherit $46,200. But this average is skewed by extreme wealth in the top 1%, so in reality, over two thirds of Americans won’t be given any inheritance whatsoever. And at all tax levels, people expect to receive significantly more than they actually will.
So if you are lucky enough to inherit some money from your family, you should be allowed to do whatever you like with those funds. If you want to get a degree, don’t hesitate to go back to school. If your car has been running on fumes for the past 5 years, it might be time to invest in a new one. And if you’re tired of rent bleeding you dry, you may want to start looking at homes. But whatever you do, don’t feel pressured to spend your money on something (or someone) that you don’t want to.
It’s common for loved ones to attempt to hijack an inheritance
This story from Reddit is sadly not the first time a relative has attempted to get their hands on another’s inheritance or benefit from an inheritance that has nothing to do with them. According to Trust & Will, there’s actually a term for it: inheritance hijacking. This is when “someone tries to take your inheritance away from you, either by force or by deception,” they explain on their site.
Some common tactics that are used to attempt to hijack an inheritance from a loved one are emotional manipulation, bad-mouthing relatives and marriage. If family members suddenly want to be closer to you after you’ve inherited a substantial amount of money, that’s a red flag.
Be on the lookout for anyone who tries to make you think poorly of others who might be in line for your inheritance as well. Marriage is also a route that hijackers sometimes take if they know that their spouse won’t be around for much longer and will be leaving an impressive estate behind.
When it comes to protecting yourself and your inheritance from being hijacked, Trust & Will says the first step is being aware and vigilant. Take note of anyone who starts acting differently around you as you get older or after you’ve received an inheritance. It’s also wise to inform family members of your plans for your estate or the money that you’ve received. Keeping them in the loop means they’ll notice if anything looks suspicious.
Inheritance often sparks conflicts within families
As far as why inheritance often creates conflicts within families, Estate Planning notes on their site that many people don’t act like themselves when they’re dealing with a significant or sudden loss. We all grieve differently, and it’s understandable for us to act slightly out of character when we’re dealing with a situation we’ve never experienced before.
Plus, as humans, we’re “predisposed to competition and conflict,” Estate Planning says. It’s in our nature to be competitive with one another, and we might start to feel that we’re entitled to something even if it doesn’t quite make sense.
In this particular story, there’s absolutely no reason for the aunt to expect money from her sister-in-law’s side of the family. But we tend to be on the lookout for situations where we’re being excluded, and she seemed to come to the conclusion that she should be included in this inheritance money. She’s certainly not the first family member to display an impressive (and unreasonable) level of entitlement, but she may have raised the bar.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. How would you have responded to this aunt’s request for a new home? Then, if you’d like to check out another Bored Panda article discussing inheritance drama, look no further than right here!
Readers were appalled by the aunt’s behavior, and the author responded with even more details about the situation
