Teen Cuts Off Late Dad’s Family, Then Reaches Out 10 Years Later Asking About Inheritance

A man turned to Reddit for advice after a bitter family conflict over inheritance money reignited tensions that had simmered for nearly a decade. The 52-year-old uncle described how his niece, who cut off contact with the family years earlier, suddenly reappeared—only to demand a share of money she believed was owed to her.

He began by explaining that tragedy first struck ten years ago. “My younger brother passed away from cancer, leaving behind his 8-year-old daughter,” he wrote. Two years later, the child’s mother remarried and moved out of state, taking the girl with her.

Over time, the niece grew close to her stepfather, who eventually adopted her. “She basically ghosted our family and said that she doesn’t want anything to do with us anymore,” the man recalled, adding that she even refused visits from her grandmother, who died a few months later.

The family believed this rejection deeply affected their mother. “We all suspect her getting rejected by my niece had a huge part in it,” he admitted. Hurt and angry, the family stopped reaching out. “She was 15 then—old enough to know what she was doing,” he reflected.

Years passed in silence until recently, when the niece made contact again. “A couple of months ago she reached out after years of silence,” he wrote. Her first question was about her share of her grandmother’s inheritance. The uncle told her there was nothing left—everything had already been divided between him and his sister.

According to his post, the niece reacted angrily. “She got mad and started cussing my dead mother,” he said. When he demanded respect, she shifted to another topic—college. She explained that she was about to begin her studies and claimed financial support as part of her “rightful share” of her late father’s estate.

The uncle refused. “I told her she pushed my brother away years ago and has a new dad now. I’m not paying for anything,” he explained, noting that what remained of the inheritance had gone toward his own children’s education. His sister also declined to help, saying her portion had already been used to pay off debts.

The niece didn’t take it well. “She called me a disgrace and an a—— and tried to guilt my sister into sending her money,” he said. Still, he maintained that his decision wasn’t cruel. “Honestly, if she was genuine and polite about it, I’d have helped her out,” he wrote, explaining that her anger and disrespect left him no choice. “I’m careful with money, but I’m not rich.”

He added that he had been saving for his children since birth and that the inheritance only helped a little. Despite ongoing harassment, he said he had no desire to involve law enforcement.

Commenters largely sided with him. One pointed out that the niece’s mother should have prepared for her daughter’s college costs: “Her mother should have put some of your brother’s estate away for her college,” they said. The uncle agreed, explaining that “my brother really had nothing left after his treatments and everything.”