At the annual Albert Einstein Legacy Society luncheon, held on April 30, 2025, at the University Club in Manhattan, Einstein magazine asked Legacy Society member Jill Zimmerman, M.D. ’93, why she and her husband, Michael Stifelman, M.D. ’93, had joined. “It’s simple,” she replied. “We wanted to honor our shared connection to Einstein while also supporting future generations of students.”

Dr. Zimmerman said that their decision to support the College of Medicine through a bequest, which will establish a scholarship fund in their name for medical students, was deeply meaningful to them. “Our time at Einstein has had a significant impact on both our lives, personally and professionally. It means so much to us that we can pay it forward.”

A Community of Giving

Many other Einstein alumni, faculty, parents, and friends are supporting areas of research that will keep Einstein at the leading edge of scientific discovery through legacy gifts in their estate plans. Since 2022, when the College of Medicine formally launched the Albert Einstein Legacy Society, membership has doubled and continues to grow.

At the April luncheon, Einstein students presented each Legacy Society member with a silver lapel pin in the shape of a double helix to thank them for their investment in Einstein’s future.

Legacy Society membership includes longtime benefactors who have stood by Einstein since its founding; faculty and alumni, who know from firsthand experience how Einstein is shaping the next generation of medical professionals and researchers; and friends, who support the deep bench of basic science at the College of Medicine.

Planning Made Easy

According to Dorea Ferris, senior director of planned giving at Einstein, “A common misconception about planned gifts is that you have to be wealthy, hire a lawyer, or have a will. But that’s no longer true. Many people are now listing a favorite charity as a beneficiary on an individual retirement account or 401(k). And this type of giving is accessible to everyone, since that designation supersedes a will, can be in any amount or percentage, and can be done without the help of an attorney.”

Of all the assets to consider when planning an estate, those that have been tax-advantaged are the best candidates for a charitable gift. “If you designate an individual as a beneficiary on your tax-advantaged retirement plan, that individual will have to pay a federal tax equivalent to the person’s own marginal tax rate, as well as a potential state tax, depending on where the person lives,” Ms. Ferris said. “However, if you leave a charity as your beneficiary, that charity gets the full value of the asset, with no tax.”

All one needs to do to join the Legacy Society is inform the College of Medicine of an intention to support Einstein through a deferred gift, also known as a bequest. Ms. Ferris pointed out that if donors would like to keep their gifts confidential, they can join the Legacy Society anonymously.

A Meaningful Remembrance

The Einstein Alumni Association president, Richard Frankenstein, M.D. ’74, who is also a member of the Legacy Society, closed the luncheon’s speaking program with a sentiment that resonated with many of the alumni in the audience.

“I’ve gone far and wide, but I never would have gone to any of those places without the confidence and competence that I developed as an Einstein student,” he said. “I encourage you to join me and to give thanks with your tangible support of such a wonderful institution. Including Einstein in my plans for the future was the easiest way for me to give more to a place that has given me so much.”