Joshua Herring, the new CEO of the Longevity Science Foundation, discusses how cryptocurrency donations can fund long-term research and create tax benefits for investors.
Achieving a longer lifespan is a long-term goal that humans have been pursuing through various types of research. With simplicity, fast turnaround times, and low costs, cryptocurrencies can serve as an effective tool to fund such efforts.
By donating to research that extends healthy lifespan—not just life—crypto donors can help usher in a new era of preventative medicine, improved quality of life, and unprecedented collaboration between investors, scientists, and biotech entrepreneurs.
As 2024 draws to a close, the opportunity for year-end tax breaks is approaching. The Longevity Science Foundation (LSF) is a non-profit organization that funds long-term research through cryptocurrency donations, providing the cryptocurrency community with a unique opportunity to use the proceeds for the good of the world.
The NGO recently appointed Joshua Herring as its new president and CEO. Herring has a background in asset management and tax strategy, and is involved in finance, philanthropy, and biomedical research. Under his leadership, LSF aims to bring the written word to new medical practices, advance AI-powered diagnostics, personal care, and longevity science.
In this exclusive interview, Herring discusses the significant opportunities facing crypto investors at the end of the year, the tax benefits that come with donating, and the life-changing research that donations can drive. Cointelegraph: With 2024 approaching, why do you think it’s a great time for crypto investors to consider giving to charity?
Joshua Herring: Cryptocurrency investors now have a unique opportunity to make a big profit. The benefits of crypto investing go beyond financial, they can also drive innovation and transform healthcare around the world. By donating a large amount of money before December 31, 2024, you can avoid capital gains taxes, claim large tax deductions, and participate in long-term research on the planet. This is an opportunity to combine financial planning with the goal of building a longer, healthier life.
CT: Can you explain how donating cryptocurrency can reduce taxes?
JH: Of course. Donating popular cryptocurrency allows you to ignore capital gains taxes while claiming a tax deduction for the full market value of the asset. This is one of the most effective ways to support causes you care about. At LSF, we encourage investors to use this strategy not only to make money, but to support transformative health research. With many cryptocurrencies at or near all-time highs, now is a great time to consider this strategy.
We accept over 100 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin BTC up to $96,207, Ethereum ETH up to $3,381.90, and stablecoins like USD Coin USDC up to $1.00 through a simple online form provided by The Giving Block. Transactions are completed within seconds, and you will receive a tax invoice to pay for your proceeds.
Not only are we using cryptocurrency to democratize giving, we are also building an ecosystem that gives donors direct access to scientists, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders in the long-term and biotech industries. Through our parent organization, LongeVC, donors are part of a network that is shaping the biotech landscape.
CT: You have extensive tax strategy experience from your previous roles. How has this expertise influenced your approach at the LSF?
JH: In my previous role in high-value asset management at AllianceBernstein, I worked with clients and their accountants to optimize tax strategies. Two key strategies that have proven to be particularly effective are year-end gifting and tax harvesting. At LSF, I use this knowledge to help donors maximize their impact. This is my own work. Both of my parents had cancer, my mother had sarcoma, and my father had prostate cancer, and both are alive today because of basic research. I am deeply committed to ensuring that more people around the world can share similar success stories through early diagnosis and prevention.
CT: How is the Longevity Science Foundation advancing global healthcare through longevity science?
JH: We focus on four areas of change that can transform healthcare around the world. Using artificial intelligence, we can accelerate diagnosis, personalize treatment, and drive drug discovery to improve health outcomes. Predictive analytics tools shift the focus from treatment to prevention, enabling earlier and more effective disease management.
Our current goal is to raise $250,000 to support research into the health and longevity of women. This grant will enable us to support a field of research that has not previously been funded. We recently awarded a grant to the University of Oxford to explore how diet affects heart aging, with a focus on reversing the negative effects of high methionine levels. The goal of this study is to identify dietary interventions that can slow or prevent cardiovascular aging. These findings could improve heart health and encourage a longer lifespan.
These are just a few examples of the areas of our transformative work that we want the crypto community to be involved in.
CT: What advice do you have for crypto investors considering giving before the end of the year?
JH: It’s not just about saving taxes, but about encouraging innovation that will change lives around the world. Your cryptocurrency donations can support artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, personalized medicine and care, creating a world where diseases can be prevented, not just cured. But time will tell. To qualify for the 2024 tax deduction, donations must be made by December 31. CT: What excites you most about working at LSF?
JH: The ability to shape a future where everyone lives longer and healthier than I do every day. This is about more than just research. It’s about hope, innovation, and the opportunity to change lives for the better. Together, we can overcome the greatest challenges in healthcare and create a healthier life for all.
