How do ultra-wealthy media and tech giants like Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos give away their billions to people and causes they support?
The options for donating their fortunes go far beyond putting their names on museum wings.
Choosing the best method for making a mega gift is already a delicate balancing act, and the tax code’s regulations and incentives add layers of complexity. Each approach—donating to an existing charity or forming a foundation—has tradeoffs, depending on how the donor wants to direct the money and how much regulatory scrutiny the donor is willing to invite. ...