My siblings received their inheritance early but now demand I split my share

I am the youngest in the family. When my older siblings graduated, my parents found jobs for them and bought each of them a house so they could start their own families comfortably.

But I was the rebellious one, determined to be independent from a young age. I chose my own university, found my own job, and married the person I loved without following my parents' plans. Because of this, they did not give me any assets like they did for my siblings. Instead, they told me to fend for myself. Still, they reassured me that their house would be mine after they passed away.

While my siblings bought cars and acquired more properties, my spouse and I, both working at a bank, focused on saving. We lived in a small 30-square-meter house, which we bought with a loan.

Everything was fine until the Covid-19 pandemic hit. My siblings' businesses collapsed. They got involved in shady online financial schemes and cryptocurrencies, eventually selling their homes to pay off debts. My parents stepped in, giving each of them VND400-500 million (US$15,600-19,600), which drained their savings and left the entire family struggling.

Meanwhile, I kept saving. I rode a 14-year-old motorbike and wore the same shoes and clothes for years. After the pandemic, thanks to my discipline, I was able to buy a new, spacious home. That was when my siblings began sarcastically saying that all the family’s fortune had gone to me. I did not care what they said.

Last year, as my parents neared 80, they began the process of transferring their house to me. It should have been straightforward since this was the arrangement they had promised long ago. But my siblings objected, insisting that the house be divided equally. My parents disagreed at first but then wavered, feeling sympathy for them as they are struggling financially while I am living comfortably. They asked me for my input.

I did not know what to think. Was being responsible with money now a crime? I had spent years working hard and saving, only to be expected to share my inheritance with those who had mismanaged their wealth. I could not accept it.

In the end, I told my father that if the house was to be split four ways, then I did not need it. They could give it to my siblings, who could take care of them in their old age. My spouse and I would visit from time to time. But if the house was mine, as they had always said, then I would take full responsibility for caring for them.

As expected, my siblings refused. They wanted the house divided equally but still expected me, the one with "all the family’s fortune," to be responsible for our parents.

A year has passed, and the tension remains. My parents can barely smile, my siblings rarely visit, and I am left deeply disappointed in my family.

What should I do in this situation?

*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.