If you’re trying to figure out how old is MacKenzie Scott, the short answer is 55. She was born on April 7, 1970, in San Francisco, California.
But honestly, knowing her age is probably the least interesting thing about her right now. While most people in their mid-50s are starting to eye their retirement accounts or wondering if they can finally slow down, Scott is doing the exact opposite. She is currently in the middle of one of the most aggressive, high-speed redistributions of wealth in human history.
It’s kinda wild when you look at the timeline. Since her 2019 divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, she hasn’t just "donated" money. She has basically dismantled the traditional, stuffy way that billionaires give away their cash.
How Old is MacKenzie Scott and Why Does it Matter for Her Legacy?
Born MacKenzie Tuttle, she grew up in the Bay Area during a time when Silicon Valley was just starting to find its feet. By the time she hit her early 20s, she was studying under literary legend Toni Morrison at Princeton. Morrison actually called her one of the best students she ever had. High praise.
She graduated in 1992, which makes her part of that gritty Gen X cohort that saw the world move from analog to digital. She wasn’t just a witness to Amazon; she was there in the garage. She did the accounting. She helped brainstorm the name. She drove the car across the country while Bezos typed out the business plan.
Fast forward to today. At 55, Scott is at a vantage point where she has both the massive resources of a tech titan and the perspective of a novelist. She isn't waiting until she’s 80 or 90 to see her money make a difference.
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The 2025-2026 Giving Surge
Most people expected her to slow down after the initial flurry of donations in 2020 and 2021. They were wrong. In 2025 alone, Scott revealed she gave away a staggering $7.1 billion.
- Total Giving: She has now surpassed $26 billion in total donations since 2019.
- The Trevor Project: Just recently, in early 2026, it came out that she dropped $45 million into The Trevor Project to help LGBTQ+ youth.
- HBCUs: She has been a massive lifeline for historically Black colleges, giving over $1.35 billion to these institutions since she started her philanthropic journey.
What makes her approach so different—and honestly, what makes other billionaires a little uncomfortable—is that her gifts are unrestricted. She doesn't tell a university or a food bank how to spend the money. She basically says, "You’re the expert on your community. Here’s $20 million. Go do your thing."
Early Life and the "Bookish Introvert"
Before the billions and the headlines, Scott was a self-described "bookish introvert." At age six, she wrote a 142-page book called The Book Worm. Sadly, it was lost in a flood.
Her life hasn't always been easy, despite the "privileged" label often thrown at her. When she was at the Hotchkiss School, her father’s investment firm filed for bankruptcy. She’s seen the volatility of money firsthand. Maybe that’s why she seems so intent on letting go of it now.
She isn't just about charity, though. She’s a serious novelist. The Testing of Luther Albright took her ten years to write. It won an American Book Award in 2006. She’s a creator who happens to be a billionaire, not the other way around.
Where is MacKenzie Scott Now?
She stays low-key. You won't find her on a yacht in the Mediterranean or posting selfies from the Met Gala. She lives in Seattle with her four children.
After her 2019 divorce, she married Dan Jewett, a science teacher, in 2021. That marriage ended in 2023. Since then, she’s stayed largely out of the tabloid cycle, focusing almost exclusively on her platform, Yield Giving.
People often ask why she’s giving it all away so fast. In her own words, she believes "the potential of peaceful, non-transactional contribution has long been underestimated." She’s basically trying to see how much good she can do while she’s still young enough to watch the impact.
Surprising Facts About Her Wealth
It’s a bit of a paradox: the more she gives, the more she seems to have. Because Amazon stock has remained so valuable over the last few years, her net worth often stays around the $30 billion to $40 billion mark, even after she signs away checks for billions.
- Amazon Stake: She originally received a 4% stake in Amazon.
- Stock Sales: In 2025, she reportedly sold about $13 billion worth of shares to fund her grants.
- The Giving Pledge: She was one of the first to sign this, promising to give away at least half of her wealth. She’s clearly on track to give away much more than that.
Actionable Takeaways from Her Philanthropy
Whether you're a fan of her or just curious about the math, Scott’s "Yield Giving" model offers some real lessons for how we think about helping others.
- Trust the Experts: If you’re donating to a cause, find organizations that have been on the ground for years. They usually know where the money is needed most.
- Remove the Red Tape: High-impact giving doesn't require a 50-page application. Sometimes the best help is the kind that comes with no strings attached.
- Look for the Underfunded: Scott often targets "quiet" organizations that don't have big marketing budgets but do vital work in rural or marginalized communities.
- Speed Matters: Giving $1,000 today is often more valuable than giving $2,000 ten years from now, especially for organizations facing immediate crises.
MacKenzie Scott is 55, but she’s operating with the urgency of someone who knows that time is the one thing money can't actually buy more of. If you want to keep up with where her money is going next, you can check the database on her website, Yield Giving. It’s the only place she really "speaks" to the public, and it’s a fascinating look at where the world’s wealth is being redirected in real-time.