How Jeff Bezos' ex-wife’s net worth fuels her $19B in donations
Jeff Bezos' ex-wife's net worth ranks her among the richest women in the world despite her prodigious donations. In 2019, MacKenzi Scott signed the Giving Pledge, committing to giving at least half her wealth to charity. Since then, MacKenzie has donated over $19.25 billion to more than 2,450 non-profits.
My approach to philanthropy is always thoughtful. While it will take time and effort, I will continue giving until the safe is empty.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- MacKenzie's ex-spouse, Jeff Bezos, is the founder of Amazon and currently the second richest person in the world.
- In September 2020, she was named the world's wealthiest woman.
- The same year, Scott recorded one of the largest annual donations by a private individual to working charities.
- In March 2024, her total donations had reached $17.2 billion.
MacKenzie Scott's profile summary
| Full name | MacKenzie Scott Tuttle |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 7 April 1970 |
| Age | 55 years old (2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Aries |
| Birthplace | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Alma mater | Princeton University |
| Height | 5'8" (178 cm) |
| Weight | 60 kg (132 lbs) |
| Hair colour | Dark brown |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Ex-spouses | Jeff Bezos and Dan Jewett |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents | Holiday Robin and Jason Baker Tuttle |
| Siblings | 4 |
| Profession | Novelist, philanthropist |
| Social media | X (Twitter) |
MacKenzie Scott's net worth skyrocketed after her divorce from Jeff Bezos
On 9 January 2019, MacKenzie and Jeff announced their divorce after 25 years of marriage via a joint post on his X (Twitter) account. Their divorce was finalised about three months later.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Scott received a 4% stake in Amazon. At the time, these shares were reportedly worth $35.6 billion. On 4th April, she gave more details about the settlement in an X post that read:
I will be giving all my interests in Blue Origin and the Washington Post to Jeff. In addition, he will retain 75% of our Amazon stock and have voting control of my shares.
At the time, MacKenzie was ranked the world's third-richest woman. According to Forbes, she currently ranks 75th on the list with an estimated net worth of $26.5 billion.
Source: Original
How much money has Jeff Bezos' ex-wife given away?
In July 2020, Scott announced in a Medium post that she had donated $1.7 billion to 116 non-profits. Less than six months later, MacKenzie revealed that she had given away $4.15 billion to 384 organisations to help with the economic struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic.
That year, her donations totalled $5.8 billion. By June 2021, she had donated another $2.7 billion to 286 non-profits. As of November 2022, Bezos' ex-spouse had donated over $14 billion to 1,600 organisations. By the end of the following year, she had given more than $16 billion.
MacKenzie Scott's largest donation yet was to Habitat for Humanity in 2022
In February 2022, nine organisations reported donations from the novelist, totalling $264.5 million. Below is a summary of some of the non-profits and what they each got:
- Habitat for Humanity ($436 million)
- Planned Parenthood ($275 million)
- Communities in Schools ($133.5 million)
- Big Brothers, Big Sisters ($122.6 million)
- Girl Scouts of the USA ($84.5 million)
Source: Getty Images
She has a ‘’no-strings-attached’’ approach to giving
In 2021, The New York Times reported that MacKenzie had revolutionised traditional philanthropy by giving out gifts quickly and without much follow-up. She once stated:
The teams managing the non-profits best know how to use the money since they are at the front lines of the challenges.
Scott shared a link to her donation database (Yield Giving), where details about her philanthropic causes are available to the public.
MacKenzie Scott donated two of her houses to help fund affordable housing initiatives
In 2007, Scott and Jeff paid $24 million for a home in Beverly Hills and $13 million for the property immediately next door a decade later.
In 2022, MacKenzie donated both houses (which she had retained after the divorce) to the California Community Foundation. At the time, they had a combined worth of $55 million.
Source: Getty Images
FAQs
MacKenzie Scott and Jeff Bezos' divorce is among the most expensive divorces in history. Here are some frequently asked questions about the ex-couple:
How old is MacKenzie Scott?
Scott (55 as of 2025) was born on 7 April 1970 in San Francisco, California, USA. Her father, Jason, was a financial planner, while her mother, Holiday, was a homemaker. MacKenzie has an English degree from Princeton University.
What does MacKenzie Scott do?
Jeff Bezos' ex-wife was one of Amazon's early key contributors. She bagged an American Book Award for her debut novel, The Testing of Luther Albright. Her second novel, Traps, was published in 2013. The following year, Scott founded the Bystander Revolution anti-bullying organisation.
How many kids does Jeff Bezos have with MacKenzie Scott?
MacKenzie and Jeff married in 1992 after three months of dating. The ex-pair has four kids: three sons and a daughter. Their oldest son, Preston Bezos, was born in 2000.
Did MacKenzie Scott have a prenup?
Bezos and Scott did not have a prenuptial agreement when they married. After the divorce, she received a significant portion of Amazon's stock.
Source: Getty Images
Who is Jeff Bezos' wife?
In May 2023, the businessman became engaged to media personality Lauren Sánchez, with whom he was accused of having an affair while still married to Scott. On the other hand, MacKenzie married Dan Jewett in 2021, and they divorced in January 2023.
Jeff Bezos' ex-wife's net worth is in the billions as of May 2025. Although MacKenzie Scott has donated most of her wealth to charity, she still ranks among the world's wealthiest individuals.
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Briefly.co.za published details about Elon Musk's net worth. The head of the American Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ranks as the world's wealthiest person.
According to Forbes, he is worth $384.9 billion as of 30 April 2025. His wealth is primarily tied to equity and stakes in companies like Tesla, SpaceX and X (Twitter).
Source: Briefly News
