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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I being grabby and selfish (long story - inheritance related)

146 replies

RedHareWithBlondeHair · 18/07/2016 15:44

My mother has 2 children - me and my sister. My sister has 2 children and I have none.

For background - we are mixed - our father is English and mother Arabic. Me, my sister and mother and one of my nieces live in England, my other niece lives in our Arabic country.

My mother owns 7 pieces of land/houses all together (in her home country) - thus far, one piece is my sister's and another mine. The other 5 seem to be up for grabs. My mother has told me she'd like to make provisions in her will for both nieces wrt her estate. As I have no kids obviously there's nothing to be given to non-existent children.

My niece that is currently in the UK is severely disabled - she'll never lead an independent life and my other niece lives in our home country and is currently being supported by my mother wrt to school and upkeep etc - she's 21.

I should add that I have a massive family - my mum is 1 of 10 and I have countless cousins. My mother has paid a great deal of money towards their upkeep over the years - this meant paying for food, housing, bills, private education - the lot.

I've made it patently clear to my mother that I will not do the same. My niece often texts my mother asking for money and was surprised to learn that due to a sick spell my mother couldn't afford it. She is nearing retirement now and though she has a good nest egg for herself, she's now wondering what to do with the rest of her estate.

For one or two reasons I won't be having children in the near future. I can't afford them, I have no partner with whom I'd see a future with and I'm still changing careers.

My mother has a chronic condition which means she might not make it into her twilight years.

In her plans she'd obviously leave the 2 pieces of land that me and my sis already own to ourselves. But this leaves the question over the other 5 - which have appreciated quite a lot over the years. She wants to leave a provision for my niece over here who will need life long care when my sister can no longer manage it. She also wants to house 2 of my aunts and their children and also wants to leave my other niece something.

As it stands I'd only inherit my current bit of land. She's asking me to pay into the maintenance of the houses on the other pieces of land which I might not inherit - this isn't cheap and I'd feel resentful doing so. I'm now feeling like I want to walk away from the whole situation and let them all deal with it themselves when the time comes. Give up my bit of land and be done with. Perhaps only going back to home country for holidays if the feeling takes me. I've grown up here and don't feel the strong family ties with the others that she does. Despite being half Arab, when I'm there I'm still very much 'foreign'.

I love my mother and she's gone above and beyond in terms of paying for my education and lifestyle choices and also acting as a confidante. I suppose maybe I should take the view that I have a better way of living and more choices than the rest of that side of the family. When my father died over here, everything he owned went to his kids from his first marriage and his wife. My sister and I didn't get a look in and were lucky to be invited to the funeral.

I don't know what I'm asking, I suppose I'd rather just drop the whole thing. My mother's side of the family is full of so much drama - I don't even speak fluent Arabic (my sister does) and feel I'd end up getting screwed either way.

OP posts:
PortiaFinis · 18/07/2016 16:45

Normally I'd agree with you - I think children should get equal amounts and grandchildren much smaller amounts - simply because you have no idea what changes the future might bring. However I can understand why your mother would want to leave money to help with your neice's care.

It's a tough one OP. I agree that you shouldn't be paying maintenance on properties - if that's necessary it would be better to sell them.

CauliflowerBalti · 18/07/2016 16:46

Hmm. Just read that it seems like she wants to cut you out completely. How is your relationship with your mother? You could contest the will if she did this - and there's precedent for your legal challenge - but that is ugly.

The whole thing sounds ugly.

I'd actually walk away from the lot of it.

Rowanhart · 18/07/2016 16:48

Just leave the whole thing. Don't discuss, don't contribute unless for land you already own. Just leave it.

Tbh if you are raising your inheritance with your mother, that's v odd indeed. Wouldn't cross my mind. Not that mine has much to leave mind. I'll get nothing and I couldn't care less.

TBH Op, you're sounding more grabby as this goes in. It's not your money or land but your mothers to do with precisely as she sees fit. You have no rights to it. Let it go.

RedHareWithBlondeHair · 18/07/2016 16:51

Is your father not involved in any of this or are they divorced?

crisp my father died 10 years ago!

OP posts:
SquinkiesRule · 18/07/2016 16:53

She already said her father had died. (the the previous poster asking about him)
I think her asking you to contribute to the upkeep of the Aunties and their children is too much. She is technically leaving you nothing if you already paid for the land that was placed in her name.
I'd not contribute financially to the family, they are not your responsibility. You have a piece of land you paid for and won't be getting anything else from the sound of it.
Maybe she needs to transfer the land back into yours and your sisters name now before she dies or it gets eaten up in costs for the aunties.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 18/07/2016 16:54

Stop talking about it. You have made your thoughts clear to your Mum and any further conversation is likely to entrench positions. Take a bit of time to separate the emotion from the situation(hard I know). Is it the financial value of the split that bothers you or the fact that your DM seems to be treating you less favourably because you don't have children?

I think your DM may well feel a cultural obligation to support your DN with the severe disability. DH's is family is also Arab and family members with disability are cared for and supported by the family. We have a house in DH's home country and we have given his brother who has a disability and his unmarried sister the option of moving in, if they want to (it is on family land next to 2 other brother's houses). They currently live in another family house that is subject to a dispute with another family member over ownership so we are providing a safety net option.

I would have a think about your DN in the UK's position and I certainly would be careful about challenging your DM's desire to provide for her as I think she will see it as her duty.

However, I do think it is reasonable to say to your DM that you won't be in a position to financially support other family members as living in the UK is expensive.

Crispbutty · 18/07/2016 16:56

Oh, i am sorry, I looked at your posts and couldnt see where you mentioned him other than him being English. my apologies.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 18/07/2016 17:03

my mum is 1 of 10 and I have countless cousins. My mother has paid a great deal of money towards their upkeep over the years

The bit that stood out for me is this - especially given the 5 pieces of land which you've said are up for grabs

Personally I'd worry that, if I got involved in paying towards the land at all, the rest of the huge family might then consider you to be a source of funding instead of your mother

Is this realistic, do you think, or am I completely off the mark?

RandomMess · 18/07/2016 17:09

I think it's understandable to be upset because all she is proposing you get is the piece of land that she actually bought with your money... everyone else is actually inheriting something from your Mum!!! Your sister is in the same boat as you I suppose but her DC are inheriting.

If your Mum brings it up again I think it's reasonable to point out that it was your money that purchased x piece of land and you see that has inheritance for either any DC you have or if that doesn't happy your DN and you would be very hurt to not receive it. Other than that I would say nothing and be prepared for the fact you will not even get that but I wouldn't be paying out anything for any bits of land anywhere!!!

harshbuttrue1980 · 18/07/2016 17:09

She doesn't have a will "because she doesn't intend on dying soon"!!! How absolutely terrible of her - she should really is being such an inconvenience to you - she should do the right thing and die immediately so you can argue about the land like a group of vultures!!

It's one thing to have private feelings of envy about not receiving what you feel as "your due" (even though nothing is your due except anything you have worked for), its quite another to actually be talking to your mother about this and pressurising her. She is probably so horrified at the fact you are just after your "share" that she has decided to leave her assets to people who care about her as a person. You sound callous and selfish and, if I was your mum, I wouldn't leave you a bean.

RedHareWithBlondeHair · 18/07/2016 17:10

crisp no problem! I have such a heavy heart at the moment and need to talk it all out that I don't expect any one person to read through it all! But yes, when father died, my sister and I didn't get a look in. Even though between his marriage between his wife and my DM's was 15-odd years, it didn't seem to matter to them!

OP posts:
RedHareWithBlondeHair · 18/07/2016 17:12

ChazsBrilliantAttitude Perhaps you are right about cultural obligations. I have no such thing. And you've put it perfectly wrt 'entrenching' positions. Yes! Anymore talk of it would do exactly this.

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 18/07/2016 17:16

Don't get involved in this bargaining. You could end up paying the maintenance and inheriting nothing. Wills can be changed and there can be rifts in families. Don't pay any maintenance on property belonging to somebody else. Why doesn't your Mum sell one property and use this money for the upkeep of the others if she can't afford to pay for it herself.

And I just noticed that you have paid for property that is in your Mum's name. That's a big no no for a start. You can't rely on inherting anything. Sounds like your Mum is playing you all of against each other with promises.

RedHareWithBlondeHair · 18/07/2016 17:17

Puzzledandpissedoff You are bang ON the mark. The rest of her family sees everyone in the UK as being 'rich'. If I start contributing - even though I can comfortably give £100 here or there, they'll take that as a signal that I'm ripe for picking.

In fact without my mother they'd argue that I have enough money to support myself without looking into my mother's investments therefore leave it all to them.

My sister does not give a single fuck as she's sorted. She knows it. I am so bitter that I think it'll ruin my relationship with all of them.

OP posts:
AcrossthePond55 · 18/07/2016 17:21

I'd be worried at this point that if I didn't play along with her that she'd leave the piece of property in her name (but paid for with my money) to someone else. Is there anything in place to prevent her doing that?

At this point, I think I'd try very hard to get that one piece of property transferred into my own name and then just walk away from the rest of it. I certainly wouldn't want to put money into anything that I knew I wouldn't end up owning (unless for example I was living in a house she owned).

I do think it's admirable for her to provide for her disabled grandchild. This removes a great burden from the child's parents and possibly from you since it sounds like you are involved in her care.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 18/07/2016 17:21

RedHare
We get a bit of the same with DH's family. One SIL asked us to fund her son's wedding. DH turned around and said "maybe DN should get a job so he can support his wife after they get married and contribute to the cost of the wedding." They forget that the cost of living in the UK is much higher so we may not be rolling in cash even though we earn more. However, DH is also strongly of the view that the able bodied, work age, members of the family should take responsibility for themselves.

Silvertap · 18/07/2016 17:29

To everyone saying it's horrible to think and talk about assets after death I'd disagree completely. It's an eminently sensible thing to do in a wealthy family.

I think you'd be totally wrong to give money to an asset you might never own. I also thing you were a muppet for allowing your mum to buy something in her name with your money. Did she pay tax on the gift? Apart from her promise have you got any legal redress to the land?

That said I think you're being incredibly grabby re your sisters share. I'm the beneficiary of a trust along with my brother. My parents have always made it clear that if one of us had a disabled child then the trust would fund their life needs first and foremost. I totally think they're right as 1) it was their money and therefore they can do what they want. I didn't earn it l, they did. 2) I think it's the morally right thing to do. I'm fit and able bodied - I can earn. A disabled niece couldn't.

FreshwaterSelkie · 18/07/2016 17:30

I get it, OP. I don't think you're grabby at all.

I have been in a similar situation - one sib with children, and I don't have any, and a parent idly told me one day that inheritance would be split four ways.

I was SO hurt - not about the money, I don't give a fig about that. I don't expect anything, I don't need anything, but it felt like I was being penalised for not having been able to have children, and my sister was being rewarded. Because the family dynamic has often functioned just like that in the past, and it's been a source of grief. My hurt was that I felt my parent hadn't considered for a second how I would feel - and that in fact, they never really had, and that fucking hurts.

So I get what you're saying. I think in your case its a little more complicated with the disabled niece, but there must surely be some way to accommodate a provision for her that doesn't leave you feeling like you want to walk away from your family. Flowers

FreshwaterSelkie · 18/07/2016 17:31

*one sib with two children, so four way split between me, sister and her children.

AdultingIsNotWhatIExpected · 18/07/2016 17:33

YANBU

she's not giving you anything if you paid for the land which she then put in her name to will back to you - that's bonkers!

She obviously feels like she's giving you all something but with maintenance and whatever other transfer/inheritance fees involved, it all sounds like from your point of view, more of an albatross than a blessing!

2nds · 18/07/2016 17:37

Why did you not contest your father's will?

familyfarm · 18/07/2016 17:40

It's her money. It's up to her how she splits her inheritance. To be blunt, you are being immensely greedy.

RedHareWithBlondeHair · 18/07/2016 17:47

Silvertap There was no gift tax to pay, there wasn't a gift. But she did and does pay tax on it all. I also don't have any (legal) recourse to the land - it really is a case of her having the good will to leave it to me - I do think she'd leave it to me at the very least. But it's just that - she'd give it to me as though that's the only thing I deserve. My sister who yes I love; already receives support from the state and my mother. If my mother were to pass away my sister would be living the high life. As would her other daughter who'd inherit part of my mum's estate. They'd be living like millionaires.

If all I'm going to be left with is my plot then they might as well take it too! It's not my fault I don't have children, nor intend to have them in the near future - perhaps it is actually - as I'd want to live a life knowing I could provide for them and until that is certain will keep my womb on shut-down.

I think I am angry with my mother and my sister. Perhaps prematurely. I don't know. But I guess even though it was my mother who worked for all she has - in the face of my father's abuse, then why can't it be equal!!! Who is to say if I have a disabled child that requires round the clock care or if I don't have children at all. Why does my sister take precedence?

OP posts:
AdultingIsNotWhatIExpected · 18/07/2016 17:48

It's her money. It's up to her how she splits her inheritance. To be blunt, you are being immensely greedy

are we reading the same thread?

  1. The OP's money was used to buy some of the land on the proviso that it'ld be willed back to her (which doesn't sound wise..)
  2. The OP is being asked to pay the maintenance on the other pieces of land that she isn't inheriting as part of the deal which involves her getting some land (which she's already paid towards anyway)
magoria · 18/07/2016 17:49

If you paid for the piece of land she is giving you then you are not inheriting anything from you mother at all.

You are simply getting back what you have paid for.

The same with your sister.

She is actually cutting you (and your sister) out of her will completely in favour of her nieces.

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