Bill Gates has revealed that he plans to give away 99% of his remaining wealth from the tech world to the Gates Foundation. Based on current estimates, that gift would total roughly $107 billion. In addition, he announced that the foundation will shut its doors in 2045, an earlier end date than originally envisioned.
This new commitment represents one of the largest acts of philanthropy ever seen, even surpassing, in inflation-adjusted terms, the landmark donations made by historic figures like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. Only Warren Buffett’s pledge — which Forbes currently pegs at around $160 billion — might exceed Gates’, though that depends on how the markets perform.
The funds from Gates will be disbursed gradually, giving the foundation the ability to increase its spending by $200 billion over the next two decades. The Gates Foundation already holds $77 billion in its endowment, accumulated through major contributions from Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Buffett.
“It’s kind of thrilling to have that much to be able to put into these causes,” Gates told The Associated Press during an interview.
This move sends a strong message: Gates intends to continue driving major progress in areas like global health and American education — but not indefinitely. By setting a firm timeline, he’s both maximizing the immediate impact of his giving and ensuring that the foundation’s mission is clearly defined and pursued without ambiguity. He believes that using the money now to address urgent problems will generate long-term benefits, even after the foundation winds down.
“I think 20 years is the right balance between giving as much as we can to make progress on these things and giving people a lot of notice that now this money will be gone,” Gates explained.

{Matzav.com}