'Only Child' Wanting To Cut Off Their Parent Over Inheritance Splits Views

A person considering cutting ties with a parent who allegedly said they were not left any inheritance by a grandparent has sparked debate on U.K.-based internet forum Mumsnet.

According to a post shared on Mumsnet's Am I Being Unreasonable (AIBU) forum by user Whattodo74639, they are an only child whose grandparent passed away two months ago and their parent is the executor of the grandparent's will.

The user said: "I was always told that I had a set amount of inheritance to come from grandparent once they died…but it's been one excuse after the other as to why I haven't yet received my share."

The original poster said the parent told them: "I wasn't left any inheritance, it's just money that my parent is choosing to 'gift' me." The user said they have not been able to access the will, as the parent allegedly won't allow them to see it.

According to a blog post by Charles Castellon, a lawyer at Florida's Widerman Malek law firm: "The majority of Americans do not have an estate plan."

However, for those who do, "the surviving loved ones often cannot find the last will and testament and other important documents following death.

"The inability to locate a lost will can lead to some serious unintended consequences," the lawyer said.

In Florida, for example, having access to only a copy of a will "leads to the same legal result as the deceased never having prepared one…"

The deceased is treated as having "died 'intestate,' or without a will, and state laws would decide who gets what, regardless of the harm to the family, rather than honoring that person's wishes," the lawyer explained.

The U.S. Will Registry is a national database that can be searched to obtain information about the location and the last-known holder of the wills of those who register for the program.

"The actual will is not in the database but its location may be described," Castellon said.

The registry website says: "Family members and attorneys use The U.S. Will Registry to search for missing wills and estate documents that might be lost, misplaced, or even thought to have never existed.

"Not being able to locate a last will, or the most recent will, leads to unnecessary legal fees, serious family disputes and often separation."

The user in the latest Mumsnet post said: "My parent knows that I struggle at times financially through no fault of my own and knows that if I do have a share in this, that it will help me significantly, and they are now ignoring every request I put to them whilst off spending hundreds of pounds on themselves (they tell me so).

"I have pretty much accepted I'm not going to get any of this money, as I doubt there is now much left…AIBU to cut parent off for this for being a selfish a**hole?!"

Several commenters condemned the poster, accusing them of being "entitled" and having "no sympathy" for their parent in a time of bereavement.

Chocolatelabradorsarethebest said: "OP [original poster] you're coming across very grabby and entitled in your posts…all you're thinking about is money. There is no sympathy from you either for their feelings or any comment on you about your feelings of loss for your grandparent, it's all just about you haven't got any money…"

User girlmom21 said: "I wouldn't cut a parent off over a will. They have just lost a parent, remember…I wouldn't ever begrudge my parents enjoying their inheritance. If your grandparents had wanted to bail you out they'd have done it while they were alive.

"If there was money that was left to your parent and not you that's your grandparent's wish…your parents are doing nothing wrong by spending money that's been left to them."

User withgraceinmyheart agreed, stating: "If your parent was left the money it's up to them whether or not they gift any to you. The circumstances of your life don't change that…"

User slowquickstep said: "I don't feel you have any sympathy for your parent that has just buried their parent. All your post is about you wanting money that you may or may not have been left. Maybe a little more sympathy and understanding would go a long way."

Others were more understanding and sided with the original poster, such as CatSeany, who said: "I don't think you'd be unreasonable to cut them off. Whatever the will says, it's a case of them putting money over you. Clearly their financial gain is more important to them than keeping their promise."

User Awrite commented: "I can't imagine spending money while one of my children struggled."

Supersimkin2 wrote: "Ask to see the will and if it's not forthcoming call the cops. That should speed up your cheque."