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The Cofounder of Apple Amassed a Billion-Dollar Fortune, But Decided That Three of His Children Would Inherit Nothing. Only His Wife and One Daughter Received Part of the Money. And It Was Not by Accident! Find Out Why Steve Jobs Made This Decision and How Other Billionaires, Like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, Are Doing the Same.
When Steve Jobs died in 2011, many people imagined that his children would become billionaires overnight. But the reality was quite different. Of the four children of the tech genius, three did not receive a cent of inheritance.
The reason? Jobs and his wife, Laurene Powell Jobs, believed that a gigantic fortune could do more harm than good. They did not want their children to live in the shadow of a mountain of money. The result? Most of the money stayed with Laurene, who has since managed the funds strategically, investing in social projects.
And this choice was not isolated! Other billionaires, like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and even Mick Jagger, are adopting the same philosophy. But does this really make sense?
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Steve Jobs’ Decision and Its Impact on the Family
Many people expected that the US$ 10 billion fortune would be divided among Jobs’ children. But it didn’t happen this way. Reed, Erin, and Eve – the three children he had with Laurene Powell Jobs – received nothing directly.
The only exception was Lisa Brennan-Jobs, the daughter from a previous relationship, who inherited US$ 20 million. It may seem like a lot of money, but compared to the total wealth, it was just a small piece.
And do you know what is even more curious? Steve Jobs denied Lisa’s paternity for years, even with a DNA test confirming otherwise. Only after some time did he officially recognize his daughter. Perhaps the inheritance was a late apology?
Laurene Powell Jobs and Her Billion-Dollar Mission
Laurene Powell Jobs, who inherited more than US$ 14 billion, made it clear that she does not intend to keep this fortune in the family. In an interview, she said that neither she nor Jobs believed in gigantic inheritances.
She manages the money with a clear goal: to use the funds to finance social projects. Laurene founded the Emerson Collective and the Waverley Street Foundation, focused on education, fighting inequality, and climate change.
Her plan? To give it all away before she dies. In her words, “If I live long enough, this fortune will end with me.”
Billionaires Who Follow the Same Path
Steve Jobs was not the only one to make this decision. Other billionaires are increasingly rejecting the idea of gigantic inheritances.
Warren Buffett: “I Want My Children to Do Something, But Not So Much That They Do Nothing”
Investor Warren Buffett, with more than US$ 120 billion, has already stated that his children will not inherit most of his fortune. He wants them to have autonomy and build their own lives.
In his words: “I want my children to have enough to do something, but not so much that they do nothing.”
Bill Gates and His “Modest” Inheritance for His Children
Bill Gates thinks the same way. Instead of leaving billions for his children, he created the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which donates money for education, health, and combating poverty.
Gates has stated that his children will only inherit an amount sufficient for a good education and a secure future, but not so much that they don’t need to work.
Sting and Mick Jagger Have Also Joined the Trend
In the music world, the logic is the same. Sting, who has more than US$ 400 million, said he does not intend to leave a fortune for his children because he wants them to fight for themselves.
Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones has also stated that much of his money will be donated to social causes, not to his heirs.
Temos que deixar um legado de trabalho, respeito ao próximo, empatia e necessidade de se reinventar neste mundo contemporâneo e futurista e nossos filhos serão está semente que florescerá o novo futuro da humanidade.