When you include Harvard Medical School in your estate plan, you create a legacy to help secure a healthier tomorrow.

Your planned gift directly helps to improve health and well-being for all.

Which gift option is best for you?

Your Goal(s) Future Gift:
Wills & Trusts		 Future Gift:
Beneficiary Gifts		 Income Generating Gift:
CGA		 Income Generating Gift:
CRT		 Estate Tax-Beneficial Gift:
CLT
Reduce income taxes     ✔ ✔  
Reduce estate taxes ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Reduce capital gains taxes     ✔ ✔  
Received fixed income for life     ✔    
Receive income for life, hedged for inflation       ✔  
Keep assets during lifetime ✔ ✔      
Help your heirs avoid income tax   ✔     ✔
Contributing Assets          
Cash ✔   ✔ ✔ ✔
Appreciated securities ✔   ✔ ✔ ✔
Real estate ✔     ✔  
Art, antiques, patents, and other personal property ✔     ✔  

Learn more about these types of gifts

Income Generating

Charitable Gift Annuities (CGAs) and Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs)

You earn income during your lifetime and HMS benefits from your gift.

Future

Wills & Trusts and Beneficiary Gifts

You can make a future gift to HMS without giving up any assets during your lifetime.

Outright

Experience the joy of seeing your contribution have an immediate impact on HMS's mission.

Gifts of Special Assets

  • Real Estate

    • There are several options to consider, including donating all or a percentage of the property, putting it in a charitable trust that affords you income for life or making a testamentary gift of real estate in your will or trust. You can save on taxes, increase your income, and direct how your gift will be used by HMS.

    • Obtain assistance from Harvard in selling your property
    • Secure a charitable income tax deduction and potentially save on gift and estate taxes
    • Receive quarterly income for life from a trust or annuity 
    • Unlock appreciated assets without incurring capital gains tax
    • Avoid separate investment management fees for certain gifts and access broad investment diversification through Harvard Management Company
    • Fuel support for medical student scholarships, biomedical research, or global health care delivery

    Acceptable properties

    • Personal residence
    • Vacation home
    • Farm or agricultural land
    • Ranch
    • Commercial property or lot
    • Undeveloped or unimproved land

    For more information, please contact our gift planning team at 800-922-1782 or email giftplanning@hms.harvard.edu.

  • Securities (Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds)
    • To make a gift of securities, please contact the Alumni and Development Services-Trust Administration at 866-845-6596 or donorsecuritygifts@harvard.edu
    • To ensure proper processing of your gift, please notify Harvard of the stock transfer by completing this online form.
    • All mutual fund transfers must be coordinated with the Alumni and Development Services-Trust Administration. For the team to determine the appropriate instructions, please call 866-845-6596 or email donorsecuritygifts@harvard.edu with the following information: the name of the mutual fund, the number of shares, date of acquisition, and where the fund shares are currently held.
    • For more information, please contact our gift planning team at 800-922-1782 or email giftplanning@hms.harvard.edu.

For more information about wills and trusts, beneficiary gifts, charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts, or other planned giving arrangements, please contact our gift planning team at 800-922-1782 or email giftplanning@hms.harvard.edu.