Is equal inheritance fair when financial support between siblings was never equal?
My family is fighting over a future inheritance situation and I genuinely want outside opinions.
A mother with 4 daughters owns a house that was built over the years with money from 3 of the daughters. The 4th daughter contributed much less financially and admits that herself.
The mother now wants to leave the house equally to all 4 daughters.
Two of the daughters think that’s unfair and think it should be more proportional, something like:
- 30%
- 30%
- 30%
- 10%
Their argument is:
“If 3 daughters financially carried the construction and upkeep of the house for years, why should someone who contributed very little inherit the same amount?”
But here’s where it gets complicated.
One of the daughters arguing for the proportional split cleans houses for a living and still sent money consistently while trying to save money for her future home.
Another daughter who contributed a lot lives in a house with mold issues and an outdated kitchen from the 70s because she prioritized sending money to her mother instead of fixing her own home.
The third contributing daughter disagrees with the proportional split entirely. She says:
“If some daughters were more financially successful or able to give more, that doesn’t mean the other deserve less inheritance. Mom should divide it however she wants.”
The daughter who contributed the least is single and has 5 working children. She did help her husband financially at one point by sending money for HIS house in Mexico, and she also owns land with her kids where they’re building. She feels attacked and judged by the other sisters for even bringing this issue up.
What do you think is actually fair here?