My (29F) sister, Hannah (26F), and I recently lost our mother after a long battle with cancer. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster, and we’ve been trying to support each other through the grief. However, the topic of inheritance has started to cause tension between us.

Mom had a will that left the family home and a significant amount of money to me. Hannah received a smaller inheritance, including some sentimental items and a smaller sum of money. The reason for this, as explained by Mom in her will, is that I have been her primary caregiver for the past five years, while Hannah has been living her life in another city, rarely visiting or helping out.

When the will was read, Hannah was visibly upset. She confronted me afterwards, saying it’s unfair that I got more, and she feels entitled to half of everything. I explained to her that Mom made her decisions based on the care I provided and the sacrifices I made, including putting my career on hold and moving back home to take care of her.

Hannah argued that I was being selfish and that Mom was unfairly biased towards me. She believes that as siblings, we should split everything equally, regardless of the circumstances. She has been calling me names and involving other family members, who have mixed opinions on the matter.

Some relatives think I should honor Hannah’s request for the sake of family harmony, while others agree that Mom’s wishes should be respected. I’m torn because I want to keep the peace, but I also feel that I deserve what Mom left me, considering the years of dedication and the financial impact it had on my life.

AITA for telling my sister she’s not entitled to my inheritance and for sticking to what Mom’s will states?

Edit:

Thanks for all the responses and support on my last post. I wanted to provide an update on the situation with my sister, Hannah.

After reading through the advice and comments, I decided to sit down with Hannah to try and have a calm conversation about the inheritance. I hoped that by explaining my perspective again, we might be able to find some common ground or at least come to an understanding.

Unfortunately, the conversation did not go as I had hoped. As soon as I brought up the topic, Hannah became extremely defensive and hostile. She accused me of manipulating Mom into leaving me more and said that I had always been the favorite. She demanded that I give her half of everything immediately, or she would take legal action to contest the will.

I tried to stay calm and explain that Mom’s will reflected her appreciation for the care I provided and the sacrifices I made. I even suggested that we could find a compromise where I would give her a larger share of the cash inheritance than Mom had allocated. However, Hannah dismissed this offer outright, calling it "crumbs" and insisting she deserved half of everything, including the family home.

She has also continued to involve other family members, spreading her narrative that I’m being greedy and selfish. Some relatives have reached out to me, expressing their disappointment and urging me to give in to her demands for the sake of family harmony. Others have been supportive, agreeing that Mom’s wishes should be respected.

The situation has become increasingly stressful and toxic. Hannah has even started threatening to go public with our family issues on social media, which feels like a betrayal of our private matters. I’m trying to stay strong and stick to what I believe is right, but it’s hard when she’s creating so much turmoil and dragging our family through the mud.

At this point, I feel like I have no choice but to stand firm and honor Mom’s wishes. I’ve consulted with a lawyer to ensure that everything is legally sound, and I’m prepared to defend Mom’s decision if Hannah follows through with her threats.

It’s heartbreaking that things have come to this, especially when we should be supporting each other through our grief. I never wanted it to escalate this far, but I can’t give in to Hannah’s unreasonable demands.

Thank you again for all the advice and support. It’s been a tough journey, but knowing that others understand my perspective has been incredibly helpful.