Our dad died and cut my sister out of his $3 million estate — now she won’t talk to me. Should I just give her some cash?

The big question is, what should happen in these situations? For example, let’s say Matilda inherited $3 million from her father, Pat, but her sister Larissa was left out of the will. Larissa blames Matilda and will no longer speak to her. Now, Matilda is wondering if she should just give Larissa some money to level the playing field and get their relationship back on track.

Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that this would solve the problem, and it’s probably not the best idea.

Sharing the money may not solve the issue

Since Larissa is mad about not getting money, it may seem like a no-brainer for Matilda to just give her some. But in reality, things often aren’t that simple.

“I would not automatically assume that providing money is a solution to this problem,” Samantha Ridout, a board-certified behavior analyst at Alpaca Health, told Moneywise. “Providing money may be able to provide a financial balance for some time but will do nothing to address the underlying emotional separation.”

Santiago Delboy, a psychotherapist and founder of Fermata Psychotherapy, agrees, telling Moneywise, “sharing an inheritance may be part of a fair resolution, but it can’t guarantee reconciliation. The negative feelings your sister holds might continue even if you share the money.”

Delboy warned that Larissa could still be upset because “the situation conveys favoritism that might taint the relationship.”

An understanding of underlying issues could help

Since emotions may play a role here, Matilda may want to look at the big picture to better understand and respond to Larissa’s concerns.

“Perhaps Larissa assumes ulterior motives or a sinister plot, so it could be important to clear that air directly, but it seems unlikely that her conflict truly involves you, as opposed to the person who made inheritance decisions,” Dr. Larry Schooler, an assistant professor of practice at the University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication, told Moneywise.

However, Schooler explained that “even if the conflict lies with the deceased and your sister, her reaction could speak to deeper issues in your relationship that are worth exploring.”