Need Help please

[ralphy670]

I am starting to finish the basement in my home and I have encountered some issues. My home had an addition 15 years ago. The basement in the old part of the home has a large wooden beam that is split and has another large chunk of wood with a post supporting where the two beams meet. Ill attatch a photo. Is there anything I can do to make this smaller? Otherwise drywalling it will not look very good.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks

[Don_P]

Support the main beam on each side of the lower bolster. remove the post. Replace the post with a steel one and saddle without the bolster.
http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/lcc.html

Or replace the post with a treated 6x6 and this connector, the AC on this page;
http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/AC-ACE-LPCZ-LCE.html#gallery

[Don_P]

Double check the size of that beam before you button it up, it looks shallow.