February 13, 2004

IRS Gives Harvard Donors a Tax Break

By GOLDIE BLUMENSTYK

Major donors to Harvard University who make their gifts in the form of trusts can now benefit from the same investments that Harvard itself uses to manage its $19.3-billion endowment, thanks to a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service.

Over the past 10 years, the Harvard endowment has had an average return of 14.7 percent. Charitable trusts, which are designed to benefit charities while providing income to the donors who established them, tend to earn less because they are invested