Sister Demands Brother Give Her Part of His ‘Inheritance from the Stock Market’ Since They Learned How to Invest Together

A man turned to the Reddit community seeking support after a painful fallout with his sister over money. In his post, he shared how years of careful saving and investing had left him financially secure, while his sister now insisted she deserved a share of what he had built.

The story began nearly a decade ago, when the poster, then 21, started his first part-time job. At the same time, his sister, whom he calls Leah, had landed a full-time position in her dream field, making their family incredibly proud.

Unsure of what to do with his extra income while living at home, he decided to learn about investing. “One day, Leah saw what I was doing and expressed her interest in learning too,” he explains. Initially, both enjoyed sharing resources and discussing strategies.

During that first year, the siblings built their own accounts, contributing regularly to portfolios tailored to their individual risk tolerance. But when Leah saw her money grow, the dynamic began to shift.

“She started spending more of her take-home pay on various things,” he recalls. Leah often told him she deserved to splurge since her investments would continue to grow. Though he missed their investing talks, he stayed quiet.

“It was none of my business so I didn’t say anything,” he shares. “It was her money and income after all, but I did miss the time we spoke about investing.”

Over the years, their financial paths diverged. He remained consistent with his contributions, while Leah spent more and seemed less focused on saving.

Now at 30, he’s preparing to leave his parents’ home and is in a position to make a substantial down payment on a property. Even after that, he will still have about $300,000 saved between retirement funds and his emergency account.

At first, his parents offered to gift him money to help with the move. “It took showing them my brokerage account and explaining that this wouldn’t be possible without their generosity,” he writes, acknowledging that their support with groceries and low rent had played a major role in his success.

But after Leah discovered his portfolio, tensions erupted. She insisted it was unfair and demanded a share of what she called his “inheritance from the stock market.”

“She went on about how it wasn’t fair that I never used my money, I was being a ‘hoarder,’ that she had more expenses and more debt as a result, and that she worked more (often overtime) to make ends meet,” he recalls.

He didn’t back down. “I showed her my portfolio. Specifically, I showed her the monthly contributions that have happened over the years. I asked her, were any of these made by her,” he explains.

He also pointed out that none of the investments he holds today were suggested by Leah. “None of her recommendations were there due to my lack of knowledge, interest, or being (what I believed to be) speculative in nature,” he says.

The conversation ended abruptly. “Leah went silent, got up and left the house,” he writes, noting that their parents overheard the exchange.

While his parents agreed he was in the right, they admitted his delivery may have been too blunt. “They said that while they feel I am in the right, I was harsh in a ‘matter of fact’ kind of way,” he recalls.

Still, he doesn’t regret standing firm. “I just felt like I had to shut that **** down as fast as possible. I don’t plan on sharing my savings,” he admits.

The fallout, however, has caused a rift. His sister hasn’t spoken to him since the fight, and he fears it may permanently damage their relationship. “I can already tell this will affect our relationship,” he says.

The post sparked a wave of responses from readers, most assuring him he had done nothing wrong. One commenter wrote, “NTA. You did the right thing. She spent all hers and now wants to spend yours. Do not give her a dime. She will use you as her ATM if she can.”

Another praised his discipline, noting it was key to his financial stability. “You didn’t inherit anything; you earned it through discipline, patience, and smart choices,” the commenter said.

They added that sharing ideas isn’t the same as sharing ownership. “Your sister didn’t contribute to your account, your strategy, or your consistency. Sharing knowledge isn’t the same as sharing ownership. She made different choices, and now she’s facing different outcomes. That’s not on you.”

As he waits for his sister to reach out, he wonders whether this disagreement will permanently affect their bond.