Warren Buffett donated ~$6B in Berkshire HathawayBRK.B

shares to four family foundations on July 14, leaving the Gates Foundation off the list for the first time in two decades.

The Gates Foundation exclusion ends a partnership Buffett described in 2006 as an irrevocable, lifetime commitment. Over that span, he donated stock worth ~$48B at the time of each gift.

The eight-year plan

Buffett, who turns 96 next month, owns Berkshire stock currently worth more than $140B. His stated goal is to dispose of all of it by 2034.

That implies annual gifts of at least $17B going forward, more than double the $7B he donated last year.

This round breaks down as follows: 9M Class B shares worth ~$4.5B go to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for his late first wife.

Each of the three foundations run by his children receives 1M Class B shares worth just under $500M. Those are Susie's Sherwood Foundation, Howard's Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and Peter's NoVo Foundation.

After these transfers, Buffett holds 188.29K Class A shares and 1.16K Class B shares. Berkshire shares have fallen 8% since he announced his CEO retirement in May 2025.

The Gates Foundation's legal position

The Gates Foundation received no gift despite Buffett's original pledge language calling it irrevocable. Boston College law professor Ray Madoff said a promise to make a future gift is typically not legally binding without consideration.

She noted that Buffett's language encouraging the foundation to expand operations based on his pledge could give it grounds for a claim, though that outcome remains uncertain.

Buffett's children will serve as trustees of the charitable trust holding his remaining Berkshire wealth after his death, a role his revised will assigns to them rather than to any outside institution.