FILE - Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, smiles as he plays bridge following the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in Omaha, Neb., May 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)
A $9 million winning bid for a charity lunch with Warren Buffett and Stephen Curry is more than a headline-grabbing gesture. For big donors, it’s a textbook example of how charity-auction spending can unlock outsized tax deductions when the IRS rules are used strategically.
This year’s eBay auction markets the return of Buffett’s long-running lunch tradition, which for years has raised millions for the GLIDE charity in San Francisco. For 2026, the event expanded to include Curry and his wife, Ayesha, through their Eat.Learn.Play foundation. The winning bidder will bring seven guests to Omaha in June — and thanks to Buffett’s pledge to match the donation, both GLIDE and the Currys’ charity will receive a combined $18 million.
What Charity Buyers Often Miss About Taxes
Donations to bona fide charities, of course, are tax-deductible. Before making a donation, it’s important to search the IRS list of tax-exempt organizations to make sure the charity qualifies. Writing a check is simple, and the amount of the charitable-contribution deduction you get is too. But donations in kind trigger special rules, including about appraisals. If your donation in kind is worth more than $500, you need to file an IRS Form 8283, Noncash Charitable Contributions.
