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

A man turns to the Reddit community for support following a painful fallout with his sister over money. In his post, he recounts how years of careful saving and investing have left him financially secure, while his sister now insists she deserves part of what he’s built.

The story began nearly a decade ago, when the poster, then 21, started his very first part-time job. At the same time, his sister, whom he calls Leah, had landed a full-time position in her dream field, and their family couldn’t have been more proud.

Unsure of what to do with his extra income while still 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, adding that, at first, they both enjoyed sharing resources and talking about strategies.

During that first year, the siblings each built their own accounts, contributing regularly to portfolios tailored to their individual risk tolerance. But when Leah saw her money grow, things started to change.

“She started spending more of her take-home pay on various things,” he recalls. Leah often told him that she deserved to splurge since her investments would continue to grow, and although 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.”

As the years went on, their paths diverged financially. The poster continued his consistent contributions, while his sister spent more of her income and seemed less focused on saving.

Now at 30, he’s ready 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 wanted to gift him money to help him as he moved out. “It took showing them my brokerage account and explaining that this wouldn’t be possible without their generosity,” he writes, acknowledging that his parents’ support with groceries and low rent played a major role in his success.

But after Leah found out about his portfolio, tensions erupted. She told him it was unfair and insisted on sharing 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.

Rather than backing down, he showed her the numbers. “I showed her my portfolio. Specifically, I showed her the monthly contributions that has 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 are ones his sister suggested. “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.

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

While his parents assured him that he was right, they admitted that 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 being 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.

But the fallout has already caused a rift. His sister hasn’t spoken to him in the days 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 of whom assured him that 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.”

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Another agreed, pointing out that his discipline and patience are what led to his financial stability. “You didn’t inherit anything you earned it through discipline, patience, and smart choices,” the commenter said.

They went on to explain that sharing ideas is not 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 damage their bond.