Your support helps us sustain our tradition of excellence in medical education, groundbreaking research, and serving humanity.

Outright gifts can include cash, securities (stocks, bonds, and mutual funds), real estate, tangible personal property, and/or retirement plan assets.

Table of Contents

Appreciated Securities or Mutual Fund Shares

Securities and mutual funds that have increased in value and have been held for more than one year can be used to make your gift to HMS. In making the gift, you may be eligible for various tax-advantaged benefits.

Benefits
  • Qualify for a charitable income tax equal to the market value of the security you have owned for at least one year
  • Carry forward any unused charitable deduction for up to five additional years
  • Reduce capital gains tax
  • Improve health and well-being for all
  • Create enduring impact at HMS

How to Fund
  • Appreciated Securities
  • Mutual Fund Shares

Next Steps

Securities
Contact the Alumni and Development Services-Trust Administration at 866-845-6596 or donorsecuritygifts@harvard.edu.

Stocks
Notify Harvard University to ensure the proper processing of your gift by completing this online form »

Learn more about gifts of stock »

Mutual Funds
Coordinate 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:

  • Name of the mutual fund
  • Number of shares
  • Date of acquisition
  • Where the shares are currently held

Charitable IRA Rollover

If you are at least 70 and a half years old, you can direct a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) to HMS, transferring up to $108,000 from your IRA as a gift. Moreover, for those who are at least 73, QCDs count toward the IRA owner’s required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year. This is a tax-advantaged way to make your annual gift to HMS or your Reunion gift.

2023 Update: The Secure Act 2.0 of 2022 has updated the minimum required age for withdrawal to 73. Additionally, donors can now roll up to $50,000 of IRA funds into charitable gift annuities, with limitations. Please contact giftplanning@hms.harvard.edu to learn whether this is a viable option for you.

Benefits
  • Satisfy your required minimum distribution and avoid counting the distribution as taxable income
  • Improve health and well-being for all 
  • Create enduring impact at HMS 

How to Fund
  • IRA

Next Steps

If you are at least 73 years old, you can direct a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) to HMS, transferring up to $108,000 from your IRA as a gift.

Donors can roll up to $50,000 of IRA funds into charitable gift annuities, with limitations. Contact our gift planning team at 800-922-1782 or email giftplanning@hms.harvard.edu.

CHECK
Download the IRA rollover letter of instruction and request that your IRA administrator issues a check for your selected dollar amount directly to HMS.

STOCKS/SECURITIES
Contact the Alumni and Development Services-Trust Administration at 866-845-6596 or donorsecuritygifts@harvard.edu. Please notify Harvard of the transfer to ensure proper processing of your gift by completing this online form »

WIRE TRANSFERS

Receiving Bank:Bank of America
100 Federal Street
Boston, MA 02110
Beneficiary Legal Account:President and Fellows of Harvard College
ADS Account
Account Number:9429263621
ACH Routing Number:011000138
Wire Routing Number:026009593
Swift Code (international donors):BOFAUS3N
Memo/Reference:Donor name, degree/year (if applicable), and fund name (intended gift purpose)

Once the wire transfer arrangements have been made, please provide the following information to giftplanning@hms.harvard.edu:

  • Name/location of bank sending the transfer
  • Amount of gift
  • Date of transfer
  • Name of the HMS fund, program, or research area the gift is supporting

Tax identification # 04-2103580
HMS gifts are managed under the umbrella of the President and Fellows of Harvard College’s federal tax identification number.

Donor-Advised Funds

Make an annual gift from your DAF to HMS. You enjoy the simplicity of recommending a distribution from your DAF to HMS to support medical education, biomedical research, or health care service.

Benefits
  • Eligible for an immediate income tax deduction the year the DAF is established
  • Simplified recordkeeping with one tax receipt
  • Improve health and well-being for all 
  • Create enduring impact at HMS 

How to Fund

  • Donor-Advised Fund 

Next Steps

USING YOUR DAF’S ONLINE PORTAL

If you have an account with Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, or BNY Mellon, select your fund provider and you will be redirected to their website to complete your gift. If your DAF is with a different provider, contact them directly to request a gift to HMS on your behalf using the instructions below.

  • Search for “The President and Fellows of Harvard College” or Harvard University’s Federal Tax Identification Number (04-2103580). Gifts to HMS gifts are managed under this identification number. 
  • Enter as much of the following text as you can in any available notes or comments field “For the benefit of Harvard Medical School + fund name or purpose.”
    The fund name or purpose can be unrestricted, financial aid, or another designation.
  • Ensure that your name and the full names of any additional donors who should be recognized for the gift are included and will be shared with HMS. Also, provide your class year (if applicable), address, and phone number.
  • Enter the information below if you are prompted for an address:
    Harvard Medical School 
    Alumni Affairs and Development 
    P.O. Box 419720 
    Boston, MA 02241-9720

 USING YOUR DAF’S CHECK WRITING ABILITY 

  • Write a check payable to “The President and Fellows of Harvard College.”
    In the memo line, include “For the benefit of Harvard Medical School + fund name or purpose.”
  • Include a note with the full names of any additional donors who should be recognized for the gift, your class year (if applicable), address, and phone number.
  • Mail your check to
    Harvard Medical School 
    Alumni Affairs and Development 
    P.O. Box 419720 
    Boston, MA 02241-9720


Did you know? You can also designate HMS as a beneficiary of your DAF. Request a change of beneficiary form from your plan administrator and name the “President and Fellows of Harvard College, for the benefit of Harvard Medical School” as a beneficiary, along with the percentage you would like HMS to receive. If you include HMS in your plans, please let us know »

Gifts of Special Assets

Gifts of real property, or gifts of personal property, such as art, antiques, patents, and other tangible property can be an effective way to provide meaningful support for HMS. Depending on the donated asset, the structure of your gift, and the purpose of your gift, you may benefit by reducing income and estate taxes.

In particular, by making a gift of real estate, you can leverage a significant asset for your benefit and the School’s benefit. Consider donating residential, vacation, or commercial property. You can give all, or a percentage of, the property. You can also structure the gift in a way that can provide you with annual income.

Benefits
  • Use real estate or personal property, such as artwork, to fund a gift
  • Reduce income, capital gains, and potential estate taxes
  • Improve health and well-being for all 
  • Create enduring impact at HMS 

How to Fund
  • Real Estate
  • Personal Property

Acceptance of these assets are subject to Harvard gift acceptance policies or, at a minimum, subject to a due diligence process.

Next Steps

Contact our gift planning team at 800-922-1782 or email giftplanning@hms.harvard.edu.

Charitable Lead Trusts

A CLT is an irrevocable trust that provides financial support to HMS for a period, with the remaining assets eventually transferring to family members or other beneficiaries at the end of the trust term. When you donate $1,000,000 to set up a CLT, you agree to pay HMS income, typically for a set term years, at the end of which your beneficiaries receive the remainder funds and are not taxed on the appreciation of the fund.

Benefits
  • Reduce or even eliminate the gift tax you owe on assets you transfer to your heirs
  • Pass any appreciation of the trust tax-free to your heirs
  • Improve health and well-being for all
  • Create enduring impact at HMS

How to Fund
  • Cash
  • Appreciated Securities
  • Closely Held Stock
  • Real Estate

Next Steps

Other ways to give today

Credit Card
Visit our secure online gift form »
Harvard University accepts MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover cards.

Check
Make a check payable to Harvard Medical School and mail it to:

Harvard Medical School
Alumni Affairs and Development
P.O. Box 419720
Boston, MA 02241-9720

Please include a note with your full name, address, phone number, and the name of the fund you are supporting on the memo line.

Phone
Donors who wish to make credit card gifts over the phone must call Harvard University’s Alumni and Development Services directly at 617-495-1750.

Tax identification # 04-2103580
HMS gifts are managed under the umbrella of The President and Fellows of Harvard College’s federal tax identification number.

Donor Spotlight

IRA Rollover

James Hartsuck, MD '62

"My wife and I have contributed to our endowed scholarship fund using the charitable IRA rollover. Our fund allows my entire family to support today's most promising students who will become tomorrow's leaders in science and medicine."

Contact us
Ezekiel Hersey Council Wordmark

Please let us know if you have included HMS in your estate plans so we can celebrate you as a member of the Ezekiel Hersey Council, which recognizes those who have made legacy gifts to HMS.