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My stepson isn't as worthy of my huge fortune as my kids are

"I have built my wealth thanks to my biological children, so I've disinherited my stepkid. Now, I'm questioning whether I might be the a*hole in this scenario."

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A man has come under fire online for refusing to include his stepchild as a beneficiary in his will.

However, the man explained on the forum AITA (Am I The Asshole) that he had begun to wonder whether he had made the right call by excluding the child.

Because his family was not happy.

"I recently updated my will and decided not to include my stepchild as a beneficiary," he started his post.

"Now, I'm questioning whether I might be the a**hole in this scenario."

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'Raised them as my own'

The man had married his current wife a few years ago, who has a child from a previous relationship. He also has his own biological children from his first marriage.

He says he has treated his stepchild "as my own" and been financially supportive of them. It appears, however, that they will not be supported to the same degree as his biological children.

"I have always made it clear that my biological children will be the primary beneficiaries of my estate," he said.

"Now, the reason for my decision is that I want to ensure that my biological children are taken care of and receive their fair share.

"I have built my wealth thanks to them, because my biological children have been a part of my life for longer and have a closer bond with me. I feel that it is fair to prioritise them in my will."

Image: iStock
Image: iStock

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His wife is unhappy about her child being left out

However, he says his wife and some family members are questioning his decision to leave his stepchild out of the will.

"They argue that excluding my stepchild could create division within the family and make my stepchild feel excluded and hurt," he said.

"They argue that as their stepparent, I have a responsibility to treat them equally and provide for them just as I would for my biological children."

'Treat them all equally'

Reddit users who commented were mainly arguing that it was the right thing for the stepchild to be included in the will.

"Don’t marry someone with a child if you can’t fully accept that child into your family," one person wrote.

"Stepchild doesn't mean second-class child buddy. Sure you can choose your favourites, but if you're their stepdad you should be looking out for them too," another commented.

"You've been raising that kid since they were 10 but you want to make sure that when you're dead they know they weren't 'really' yours and that you knew that too and thought about it your whole life ... It's a dirtbag move."

However, others understood the man's reasoning for excluding his stepchild.

"Not your spawn, not your problem! They already have a father."

Originally published as My stepson isn't as worthy of my huge fortune as my kids are

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/my-stepson-isnt-as-worthy-of-my-huge-fortune-as-my-kids-are/news-story/d8497c276777a239b5e1ca0a957eb7cf