Bill Gates has given nearly $8 billion to a foundation run by his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, tax records show, shedding fresh light on the former couple’s divorce. The payment is one of the largest charitable donations ever made public.
Gates transferred the funds in 2024 to the Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Melinda French Gates that focuses on advancing opportunities for women and families. The donation totaled $7.88 billion, per the New York Times citing tax filings.
The payment formed part of a broader $12.5 billion commitment Gates agreed to as part of the divorce settlement. French Gates referred to that agreement in May 2024 when she stepped down as co-chair of the Gates Foundation, saying the funds would support her independent philanthropic work.
A spokesperson for Pivotal confirmed to Fortune that the full $12.5 billion agreement has now been completed. Gates’ $7.88 billion donation accounts for most of that amount, though it remains unclear how the remaining roughly $4.6 billion was distributed. Some of the funds may have gone to French Gates’ for-profit entity, Pivotal Ventures, which is not required to publicly disclose financial filings.
The donation significantly boosted Pivotal Philanthropies’ financial footing. According to tax documents, the foundation’s assets rose from $604 million at the end of 2023 to about $7.4 billion in 2024, making it one of the largest private foundations in the United States.
Gates and French Gates divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage and three children together. Although they initially continued working together on philanthropy, their formal partnership ended in 2024. The financial terms of their separation were not publicly detailed at the time.
Gates said last year that he plans to give away nearly all of his personal fortune over the coming decades. In a May 2025 blog post he said he intends to donate about 99% of his wealth to charity and speed up the pace of his giving.
Under the plan, the Gates Foundation would spend down its resources and permanently close in 2045. Gates said the goal is to deploy funds sooner rather than later, focusing on global health challenges and other urgent needs.
While the final amount will depend on markets and inflation, Gates said he expects the foundation to spend more than $200 billion. He said the faster timeline reflects the scale of global problems he believes require immediate attention, including infectious diseases and child health.
