Warren Buffett Donates Record $6 Billion to Charities, Pushing Lifetime Giving Beyond $60B
The 94-Year-Old Billionaire Pledges 99.5% of His Fortune to Charity in Will, Trust to Be Overseen by His Children
Edem Latsu Nukafu eljourno 
Legendary investor Warren Buffett has made his largest-ever annual donation, giving away $6 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and four family-run charities.
This brings the 94-year-old philanthropist’s total charitable contributions to over $60 billion since he began systematically donating his fortune in 2006.
The latest donation involves 12.36 million Class B shares of Berkshire Hathaway. Of these, 9.43 million shares went to the Gates Foundation, while the remaining shares were split among the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and three foundations run by his children — Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Sherwood Foundation, and NoVo Foundation.
■ Still Among the World’s Wealthiest
Before the donation, Buffett’s net worth stood at $152 billion, ranking him fifth on Forbes’ global rich list. He is now expected to drop to sixth, but still retains a 13.8% stake in Berkshire Hathaway, the $1.05 trillion conglomerate he has led since 1965.
Despite the massive giveaway, Buffett reaffirmed that he has no plans to sell any Berkshire shares, emphasizing his enduring confidence in the company.
■ A Legacy of Giving
Buffett also updated his estate plan last year, pledging that 99.5% of his remaining wealth will be managed through a charitable trust controlled by his three children, who must jointly decide where the funds go within a decade of his passing.
“This is the final act of a man who built an empire and is now focused on building a better world,” said philanthropy analyst Jonathan Stempel.
Buffett's family foundations span diverse causes from reproductive health and education to global hunger relief, anti-trafficking efforts, and indigenous empowerment.
Buffett previously said that donations to the Gates Foundation will cease upon his death, further emphasizing his belief in structured, generational philanthropy through family stewardship.
The “Oracle of Omaha” continues to shape not only Wall Street but also the landscape of modern global philanthropy, proving that the legacy of wealth is best measured by its impact.
