Bill Gates' Children Won't Inherit Nearly As Much Money As People Thought They Would

It's hardly a secret that tech billionaire Bill Gates has a ludicrous fortune to his name — in fact, Gates' net worth is probably even higher than you may think. However, it's been widely known for years that when the Microsoft co-founder passes away, his and ex-wife Melinda Gates' three children will only inherit a small fraction of his wealth, with the vast majority going to charitable causes close to his heart. At some point, though, Bill decided that he didn't want to wait to die for that whole process to begin.

In May 2025, the prolific businessman and philanthropist announced on his website Gates Notes that he would be giving away 99% of his net worth through his charity, The Gates Foundation, over the course of the following 20 years. This will culminate in the nonprofit organization ceasing operations entirely at the end of 2045. "This decision comes at a moment of reflection for me," Bill wrote, noting that 2025 "would have been the year my dad [...] turned 100; Microsoft is turning 50; and I turn 70 in October."

All going well, he should be left with just over $1 billion by December 2045. Assuming this money is split evenly between the Gates kids, they would still stand to receive over $300 million each in inheritance from their father, which is obviously a considerable amount of money. It would also be significantly more than the $10 million-per-child figure reported around 2011. Of course, the actual details are likely to remain private.

No matter which way you slice it, even if they only inherit a small portion of their father's wealth, Bill Gates' kids will continue to live an extremely lavish life long after his passing. However, Bill has made it clear in the past, on multiple occasions, that he wants his four children to learn to take care of themselves to some degree. Hence his decision to leave them with a relatively small sum while donating the rest. The tech mogul opened up about his mindset in a 2011 interview with the Daily Mail. At the time, Bill's personal net worth was estimated to be $56 billion (he had already given $28 billion to charity by then, too).

"I don't think that amount of money would be good for them," he opined, elaborating, "It will be a minuscule portion of my wealth. It will mean they have to find their own way." That being said, Bill also clarified that things like college and medical expenses would be taken care of, as applicable. So, he's not entirely leaving them to their own devices — just trying to teach them a bit of responsibility. 

As the Microsoft co-founder shared, "They will be given an unbelievable education and that will all be paid for. And certainly anything related to health issues we will take care of. But in terms of their income, they will have to pick a job they like and go to work." Notably, this is something with which Bill's ex-wife, Melinda Gates, strongly agreed. She confirmed to Elle in March 2025 that their family had frequent, open discussions about their privileged status so the kids wouldn't become jaded.