How Bill and Melinda Gates split $12.5 billion after their divorce
After their 2021 split, Bill and Melinda Gates made headlines again with how they divided their massive fortune—especially when tax records showed that in 2024, Bill transferred nearly $8 billion to Melinda's own foundation as part of a $12.5 billion agreement related to her departure from the Gates Foundation and their divorce.
This is one of the biggest charitable donations ever made public.
What's next for Melinda's philanthropy?
Melinda started Pivotal Philanthropies in 2022, focusing on women and families.
Thanks to Bill's donation, her foundation jumped to over $7 billion—making it among the largest private foundations in the country, based on donation size.
She'll use these funds for more grants and investments through her broader Pivotal platform.
Why does this matter?
Even though their marriage ended, both are still committed to tackling big issues like global health, poverty, education, and women's rights—but now through separate foundations.
Their post-divorce moves could shape how billions get spent on causes that affect millions worldwide.