In a world where wealth accumulation seems to be the goal, a group of famous millionaires has decided to break the mold: they will not leave their fortunes to their children. The idea of inheritance as a birthright is questioned by figures like Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Sting, and Gordon Ramsay, who prefer to allocate their money to charitable causes or simply teach the value of hard work.
Fifteen years after Steve Jobs’ death, his widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, is dedicating the inherited fortune to philanthropy. The businesswoman, whose wealth exceeds $14 billion according to Forbes, told The New York Times that her goal is to fulfill the wishes of the Apple creator. «I do this in honor of his work and I am dedicating my life to doing everything possible to distribute it effectively, in a way that benefits people and communities sustainably. I am not interested in wealth accumulation projects for family legacy, and my children know it. Steve wasn’t interested either. If I live long enough, it will all end with me,» she said at the time. Today, her three children, Reed (35), Erin (31), and model Eve Jobs (28), are forging their own paths. Reed founded the Yosemite Foundation, dedicated to funding scientific research to fight cancer; Erin is an architect; and young Eve shines on the runway.
«I find the idea of traditional inheritance quite unpleasant, depressing, and medieval. My philosophy of life is very simple: your obligation is to get rid of all your fortune, spend it or give it away before you die,» Daniel Craig (58) revealed to British magazine Candis. If the Hollywood actor keeps his word, his daughters, Ella Loundon (34) – from his relationship with Scottish therapist Fiona Loudon – and Grace (8), born from his marriage to actress Rachel Weisz (56), will receive little from his estimated $160 million fortune. These days, Ella is building her career as an actress without her father’s surname. In addition to participating in short films and independent movies, the artist works with the prestigious American company Shakespeare & Company and stands out as a model.
On December 1, 2015, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, pediatrician Priscilla Chan, published a letter on Facebook addressed to their first daughter, Maxima, announcing the creation of a foundation dedicated to philanthropy and funding research in biomedicine, data science, education, and other areas. «We will donate 99% of our Facebook shares to advance this mission… Max, we love you and feel a great responsibility to leave this world a better place for you and all children,» wrote the current CEO of Meta after establishing the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Despite having over $200 billion – the magnate is the fifth richest person in the world – the creator of the famous social network encourages his daughters, Max (10), August (8), and Aurelia (3), to pursue their dreams on their own.
The founder of Microsoft was the first to organize leaving his fortune to various charitable causes during his lifetime. Along with financier Warren Buffett, he launched The Giving Pledge in 2010, a campaign that functions as a «pact of honor» among more than 200 millionaires worldwide committed to donating at least half of their fortunes. His decision, valued by his peers, left his offspring out of the main distribution equation. His three children, Jennifer (30), Rory (27), and Phoebe (23), will each receive only ten million dollars. The rest of his assets are destined for the foundation he created with his ex-wife, Melinda French.
Like Gates, the actor couple Ashton Kutcher (48) and Mila Kunis (42) do not plan to leave all their assets to their children, Wyatt Isabelle (11) and Dimitri (9). However, they admitted they intend to help them financially in their future projects. «If when they grow up they want to start a company, have a brilliant idea, and present me with a solid, well-structured business plan, I will invest in them as I would with any other outside entrepreneur. But under no circumstances will they have a guaranteed financial cushion simply because they are my children,» said the star of That ’70s Show on the Armchair Expert podcast. The family lives on their fabulous Beverly Hills estate and has amassed over five hundred million dollars.
Born into a working-class family (his father worked in a naval shipyard) in northern England, the former lead singer of The Police was clear from the start that his children should learn the value of effort and sacrifice. «Creating a life where children know they will never have to work to support themselves is a subtle form of parental abuse that I hope I never commit. They have to work. My wife and I pay for their schools, their universities, their clothes, their shoes. But once that’s done, it’s up to them to go out there and work like everyone else,» Sting told CBS News. The musician has $500 million and six children. With his ex-wife, Frances Tomelty, he had Joe (50, musician) and Fuschia Kate (44, actress); with his current wife, Trudie Styler, he is father to actress Brigitte (42), model and film director Jake (41), musician Eliot (36), and police officer Giacomo (31).
His father has an estimated fortune of $220 million, yet when traveling, the children only get economy class tickets. «They haven’t worked nearly hard enough to afford that first-class seat like my wife and I travel. The inheritance money is definitely not for them; I don’t do it out of stinginess; I do it to protect them and prevent them from becoming spoiled, dysfunctional young people in the future,» said renowned Scottish chef Gordon Ramsay (59) to The Telegraph. The star of the famous reality show MasterChef is married to television host Cayetana Hutcheson, and together they have six children: Megan (27), twins Holly and Jack (26), Matilda (24), Oscar (6), and Jesse (2).
Para mí estos millonarios zurditos son un asco. En vez de heredarles a sus hijos, regalan la guita a ONG pedorras. La familia es lo primero, no la filantropía de cuarta. Así criamos zánganos que no saben laburar. ¡Viva la herencia y el mérito!
Para mí estos pibes nacieron con la cuchara de oro y ahora lloran porque no les dan todo servido. La herencia es un concepto burgués que perpetúa la desigualdad, che. Que se pongan a laburar como el pueblo, forros. Viva la redistribución de la riqueza, carajo.