Bill Gates Revealed How Much His Kids Will Get In Their Inheritance — ‘I Decided It Wouldn’t Be A Favor To Them’
"I want to give them a chance to have their own earnings and success."
Frederic Legrand - COMEO | Shutterstock Today, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is the thirteenth wealthiest billionaire in the world, according to Forbes. He recently revealed how much of his earnings his children will get in their inheritance. While the amount, or at least the percentage, may seem modest at first glance, the Gates children will still inherit more money than most people earn in a lifetime.
Bill Gates plans to leave his three children less than 1% of his wealth.
Gates, who boasts a net worth of $107.7 billion, recently made an appearance on an episode of Raj Shamani's podcast "Figuring Out." There, he revealed that each of his three children — 28-year-old Jennifer, 25-year-old Rory, and 22-year-old Phoebe — will receive less than 1% of the Microsoft co-founder’s wealth in their inheritance.
His reasoning is based on a desire for his children to work hard and succeed on their own, rather than relying solely on inherited wealth. "In my case, my kids got a great upbringing and education, but [they will get] less than 1% of the total wealth, because I decided it wouldn’t be a favor to them," he said.
Gates also isn’t interested in any of his kids following the family business.
"It’s not a dynasty. I’m not asking them to run Microsoft," he shared. “I wanna give them a chance to have their own earnings and success, be significant and not overshadowed by the incredible luck and good fortune I had.”
Phoebe Gates, the youngest of the Gates children, is well on her way. She recently launched her startup company, Phia, a digital platform that uses AI to help shoppers find the best prices on fashion items, both new and secondhand. Despite what people may think, her idea was not funded by her billionaire father.
When she first pitched the idea, Gates admitted that he was worried that she would ask him for money to kickstart it. "I thought, 'Oh boy, she’s going to come and ask,'" Gates told Shamani. However, his daughter only sought his advice — after all, he likely has a good idea of what it takes to start a successful business.
Still, it's important to note that less than 1% of Gates’ wealth is still a significant amount of money that will have his kids covered for life. His extensive net worth means that his kids' inheritance would equate to over $1 billion each. That is still plenty of money to start a business without difficulty.
Gates has long pledged to donate the majority of his wealth to address social issues.
In 2024, Gates told CNN that he is currently giving his fortune away at $9 billion a year. He hopes that he will eventually no longer hold the title of one of the wealthiest men in the world.
“I have more than enough money for my own consumption,” Gates said. “I’m getting myself to go down the list, and I’ll be proud when I fall off altogether.”
As for his children, they likely won’t be disappointed with their 1% inheritance.
Megan Quinn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.
