How to Give

Gifts can be made by personal check, cashier’s check, or money order. Checks can be made payable to Columbia Law School and mailed to:

Columbia Law School
Development & Alumni Relations
435 West 116th Street, Box A-2
New York, NY 10027

To make a gift to Columbia by wire, please use the following account information:

Account Name: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Account Number: 2000011749277
ABA#: 121000248 (For Incoming Wires and ACH’s)
CHIPS UID#: 0407
Bank Name: Wells Fargo Bank
Bank Address: 150 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017
Bank Phone Number: 212-214-6846

For International Wires Only:
Swift Code: WFBIUS6S

Please provide as much information as possible in the comments section of your wire transfer. Specifically, you should include:

• your name,
• the purpose of your gift,
• the name of the school or department to receive the gift, and
• the name of any Columbia representative you have dealt with in arranging the transfer.

Wire transfers may be returned if they are missing this information. If you have any questions about wire transfers, please contact Columbia's Gift Systems department at [email protected] or 1.866.GIFTSYS.

Finally, please inform Heather Guerrero in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations of the amount and date of your contribution. Heather will ensure that your gift is promptly acknowledged by the Law School. You may reach Heather by phone at 212-854-4283, by fax at 212-854-7801, or by email at [email protected].

Updated 3/2018

Companies and law firms sometimes match a gift to the Law School. If you or your spouse work for a business or organization offering this benefit, please contact its human resources department for information. To search for employers with a matching gift program, use Columbia University’s matching gift directory.

Gifts of securities not only support Columbia Law School today and into the future but also offer many tax advantages.

Tax Advantages: You may claim a federal income-tax charitable deduction when filing an itemized return, and many state income-tax laws allow this type of deduction as well. When the donated items have been held for more than one year, you may claim a deduction for their full fair-market value, and after appreciated securities are donated, you can avoid paying tax on the capital gain.

Always discuss donations with your tax consultant to maximize your benefits.

Deductibility Limits: You may be able to claim a gift of long-term appreciated securities as an income-tax charitable deduction in the year of your donation up to 30 percent of your gross income. Any excess donation not claimed may be carried forward for an additional five years. If your donated securities have been held for less than twelve months, only your cost basis is deductible.

Securities can be sent via The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) to our account at Bank of New York Mellon/Pershing LLC. Please provide the following information to help us process your contribution in a timely and efficient manner:

• Your name and address
• Number of shares and description of the security
• Any specific purpose for your gift (Annual Fund, Reunion, or other pledge, etc.)

When planning to make a gift of securities to Columbia Law School, please contact 212-854-2680 or [email protected] with the amount and date of your contribution. Gifts of securities will be recognized by the Law School based on the average of the high and low values on the date the securities are received in our brokerage account.

For transferring securities electronically through:

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC)
DTCC Number: 0443
Pershing LLC
For credit to account number: N7M100061
Client account name: Trustees of Columbia University

The Federal Reserve
ABA number: 021-000-018
Bank of NY/Pershing LLC
For credit to account number: N7M100061
Client account name: Trustees of Columbia University

For gifts of physical certificates:
Please mail certificates and their accompanying paperwork directly to the Bank of New York Mellon’s clearing broker, Pershing LLC.

All certificates and paperwork must have Columbia’s account number, N7M100061, written in the right hand corner of the forms. This ensures the security is credited to the correct account. Certificates and paperwork should be sent in separate mailings.

Physical certificates should be sent to:
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399
Attention: Security Receive Area

Required paperwork (i.e. stock bond powers, letter of authorization) should be sent to:
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399
Attention: Pending Papers Area

Required paperwork for submitting certificates:
All stock/bond powers must have original signatures and bear a medallion signature guarantee (no copies will be accepted). A medallion signature can be obtained by any bank or financial institution. It is highly recommended that the back of the certificate is not signed. Please use a Stock Bond Power instead. A signed certificate becomes a negotiable instrument.

For certificates in the organization’s name, please provide the following:

• Stock/bond power signed by an authorized signer of the organization and medallion signature guarantee
• Copy of the Corporate Resolution/Trading Authority dated within six months

For certificates still in the donor’s name, please provide the following:

• Stock/bond power signed by the donor and medallion signature guarantee
• Letter of Authorization signed by the donor stating the donor is gifting the stock

For stocks in the name of an estate or deceased individual, please provide the following:

• Stock/bond power signed by the executor and medallion signature guarantee
• Short Certificate naming the court-appointed executor (dated within three months)
• Death Certificate
• Letter of Authorization signed by the executor stating the stock is to be gifted

Please contact the Bank of New York Mellon when a stock certificate has been sent so the transfer can be monitored.

Contacts at Bank of New York Mellon:
Jorja Watts
412-234-0439
[email protected]

Group email:
[email protected]

Fax Number:
412-236-4929

Alumni who live internationally can make tax-efficient contributions to Columbia Law School.

UK Fund (PDF)
To help our friends and alumni in the UK support the Law School while gaining tax benefits, we established the Columbia (UK) Fund Limited. A sterling gift to this fund from a donor who is subject to UK income tax is eligible for Gift Aid relief. When you make a gift to the Columbia (UK) Fund Limited, you should complete a Gift Aid declaration form.

Transnational Giving Europe (PDF)
University supporters in several European countries can make tax-efficient contributions to the Columbia UK Fund (a UK charity) through the Transnational Giving Europe (TGE) network. This PDF provides a full list of foundation addresses, telephone numbers, and websites with more information about giving through the Transnational Giving Europe Network.

Hong Kong Fund (PDF)
To help our friends and alumni from Hong Kong support the Law School and receive income tax benefits, we have established the Columbia University Hong Kong Fund, which is registered under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Hong Kong residents who make their gifts to this fund may deduct the donated amount from their total income, up to a maximum percent of their income.

Thank you for supporting Columbia Law School.

To ensure that you receive a 2023 tax receipt, please be advised of the following deadlines:

Gifts by Check
All gifts made by check must be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service by December 31, 2023.

Gifts by Credit Card

• Making a gift online: Credit card gifts online must be received by 11:59:59 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, December 31, 2021, for 2023 tax credit. IRS regulations mark the official date of your gift as the date the transaction is completed, which is noted on your final confirmation. Credit card gifts received after 11:59:59 p.m. (EST) on December 31, 2023, cannot be credited to the 2023 tax year.
• Making a gift by telephone: Please call 212-854-2680 before noon on December 28, 2023, to provide your credit card information.
• Making a gift by mail: The information must be received by Columbia Law School no later than December 28, 2023, to be processed before the end of the 2023 tax year. 

If you are not sure that your credit card gift information will reach Columbia Law School by December 28, 2023, please consider making your gift online or calling us at 212-854-2680 to ensure that your gift is credited to the 2023 tax year. 

Gifts of Securities
Receipts for gifts of securities reflect the date securities are received in our brokerage account. The deadline for receipt of 2023 gifts of securities is December 31, 2023. Please be sure to allow enough time for securities to be transferred. 

Wire (EFT) Transfers
To make a gift by wire transfer, call 212-854-2680 by 5 p.m. on December 27, 2023, for instructions. Please ensure that your gift is received by December 31, 2023.

Columbia University's tax ID number (EIN) is 13-5598093.

Please call the development office at (212) 854-2680 to inform us that your gift is on the way.