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Last Updated:April 07, 2025, 18:09 IST
Gates stated on a recent podcast that his children will receive less than one per cent of his wealth, which the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates at $155 billion. Even one per cent amounts to $1.55 billion
Bill Gates currently has a net worth of $107 billion. (Photo credits: Instagram)
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is among the few billionaires who do not plan to leave their entire fortunes to their children. Bill and his former wife, Melinda Gates, have decided that their three children will inherit only a small portion of his wealth.
Although a fraction of Bill Gates’ fortune is still over a billion dollars, he has previously called it a “mistake" to give all his wealth to his children, preferring instead to donate most of it to charity.
Bill Gates’ Children
Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates have three children from their 27-year marriage: Jennifer (28), Rory (25), and Phoebe (22). According to PEOPLE magazine, the couple postponed their divorce until all their children had graduated high school, finally separating in 2021.
Gates children have mostly stayed out of the public eye, with Phoebe being the most publicly known among them. All three attended Seattle’s prestigious Lakeside School, just like their father.
Jennifer Gates Nassar holds a master’s degree in public health from Columbia University and a degree in human biology from Stanford University. She graduated from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in May 2024 and began her pediatric residency at Mt. Sinai. A talented equestrian, Jennifer married fellow equestrian Nayel Nassar in October 2021, and they have two daughters, Leila and Mia.
Rory John Gates, born on May 23, 1999, is the most private of the Gates children. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 2022, completing a double major and a master’s degree within four years. In 2017, Melinda Gates described Rory as compassionate, curious, and well-read, with a love for puzzles inherited from his parents.
The youngest, Phoebe Adele Gates, graduated from Stanford University in June 2024. She has a keen interest in fashion, having interned at British Vogue. Phoebe co-founded Phia, a sustainable fashion platform, with her college roommate, Sophia Kianni. The platform is set to launch later this year. She has written essays on gender equality for Vogue and Teen Vogue and is currently dating Arthur Donald, Paul McCartney’s grandson, as reported by Nylon.
Why Bill Gates’ Kids Won’t Inherit All His Fortune
Bill Gates has reiterated his decision not to leave his entire wealth to his three children. Gates stated on a recent podcast that his children will receive less than one per cent of his wealth, which the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates at $155 billion. Even one per cent amounts to $1.55 billion.
Forbes values Gates’ net worth at $103.4 billion, and one per cent of this is still over a billion dollars. On the Figuring Out With Raj Shamani podcast, Gates explained that wealthy families make inheritance decisions based on personal beliefs. He believes his children had an excellent upbringing and education and that inheriting less than one per cent of his total wealth is in their best interest.
Gates aims for his children to achieve their own success without being overshadowed by his immense fortune. He wants them to understand his philosophy early on: they will be treated equally and given incredible opportunities, but the highest purpose for his resources is to help those in need through the foundation.
In an earlier discussion with the DailyMail, Gates mentioned he would gift his children $10 million each, as leaving them more would not be beneficial. He agrees with Warren Buffett’s view that leaving vast sums to children isn’t helpful, a sentiment that influenced his decision.
Gates announced at a 2014 TED conference that his wealth would go to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2010, Bill, Melinda, and other billionaires created the Giving Pledge, urging the ultra-wealthy to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.
Bill Gates Not Alone
Bill Gates is not alone in this mindset. Warren Buffett has similarly stated that his children won’t inherit his $96 billion fortune but will manage the distribution of 99.5 per cent of it to charity.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and billionaire Michael Bloomberg also plan to leave most of their wealth to philanthropic causes rather than their children.
Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs, has said the billions she inherited will not be passed to her children. She focuses on distributing her wealth in ways that benefit individuals and communities sustainably, honoring her late husband’s legacy.
April 07, 2025, 18:09 IST
News business Bill Gates’ Billion-Dollar Decision: 1% For Kids, Where's The Rest Going?
