Warren Buffett Sets $200B Charity Plan, Leaves Out Gates Foundation
Synopsis
The Berkshire Hathaway chairman plans to donate the remainder of his fortune by 2034, directing this year's charitable contributions exclusively to family-linked foundations.
Warren Buffett has chosen not to donate his next billion dollars to the Gates Foundation, ending a nearly 20-year partnership. The Berkshire Hathaway chairman announced a gift of about $6 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock to four family foundations, as he continued his program of giving away assets.
The $200 billion figure associated with recent coverage is the Gates Foundation's own multi-year prediction of the amount they will continue to invest till 2045. Does not include Buffett's most recent pledge.
The worth of Buffett's 2026 donation is estimated at approximately $6 billion at the time of the announcement, made up of 12 million Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares.
Buffett’s latest Berkshire shares donation
The donated shares will go to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, Sherwood Foundation, Howard G. Buffett Foundation and NoVo Foundation. The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation will take the biggest chunk, with each of the other three organisations receiving one million Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares.
By the end of 2034, Buffett will be done with his remaining Berkshire Hathaway stock, he said. After his death, his sons Susan, Howard and Peter Buffett will be responsible for distributing his remaining assets.
Since 2006, Buffett has given away billions of dollars in Berkshire Hathaway stock to charitable organizations, including a large donation to the Gates Foundation. In 2021, he resigned from the foundation's board, but he has made annual contributions until today.
Gates Foundation review follows Epstein scrutiny
The ruling follows Gates' recent reappearance in the spotlight for his former encounters with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. Buffett has not spoken with Gates since the matter went public and said he'd look into future developments after the Gates Foundation reviews past interactions with Epstein.
The Gates Foundation indicates that the review is done independently and that it remains committed to its current programmes in global health, development and education.
The new deal is one of Buffett's biggest philanthropic deals in two decades, but he is still continuing to give via Berkshire Hathaway stocks.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
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