Sealed chain · filed Forms 990-PF
THE FORD FOUNDATION
EIN 13-1684331. 6 filed returns, tax years ended 31 December 2018 to 31 December 2024, as the IRS published them, read in order and sealed 4 October 2026.
The years · carryover chain
One return is one year. The payout is kept across six.
What a foundation leaves undistributed is due by the end of the next tax year, and what it distributes beyond the year’s amount may be applied in the five years after. Each year below is re-added from its own opening lines and the elections it states, and each year’s opening is held against the year before’s closing.
6 filed years read; 3 of 5 year-to-year links agree, 1 not checked.
Where the latest return leaves it
| As the return for the year ended 31 December 2024 states | Amount | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Undistributed income for the year (Part XII line 6f) | $0 | Nothing carried into the next year. |
| Excess distributions carried forward (line 9) | $962,048,816 | By the year each part arose, below. |
| — arose in the year ended 31 December 2020 | $254,718,233 | May be applied through 31 December 2025: its final year. |
| — arose in the year ended 31 December 2021 | $183,749,074 | May be applied through 31 December 2026. |
| — arose in the year ended 31 December 2022 | $80,055,099 | May be applied through 31 December 2027. |
| — arose in the year ended 31 December 2023 | $155,907,294 | May be applied through 31 December 2028. |
| — arose in the year ended 31 December 2024 | $287,619,116 | May be applied through 31 December 2029. |
An excess may be applied in the five tax years after the one it arose in, the earliest first (Treas. Reg. §53.4942(a)-3(e)). What is left of it after the fifth is gone.
Each filed year, re-done
| Year ended | Distributable (1) | Distributed (4) | Carryover applied (5) | Undistributed (6f) | Lapsed (8) | Carried out (9) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Dec 2018 | $670,385,636 | $762,184,143 | – | $0 | $103,412,679 | $243,115,763 | agrees |
| 31 Dec 2020 | $702,439,012 | $959,192,246 | – | $0 | – | $498,042,249 | agrees |
| 31 Dec 2021 | $903,445,820 | $1,087,194,894 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $667,819,122 | agrees |
| 31 Dec 2022 | $884,874,556 | $964,929,655 | $0 | $0 | $112,963,580 | $634,910,641 | agrees |
| 31 Dec 2023 | $795,120,762 | $951,028,056 | $0 | $0 | $87,741,307 | $703,076,628 | agrees |
| 31 Dec 2024 | $814,928,501 | $1,102,547,617 | $0 | $0 | $28,646,928 | $962,048,816 | agrees |
Every line of Part XII re-adds to the figure filed, in every year read. A dash is a line the return leaves blank.
Each year against the year before
| Closed | Opened the year ended | Result | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Dec 2018 | 31 Dec 2020 | not checked | The two returns are not consecutive periods: one closed on 2018-12-31, the next opened on 2020-01-01. A year in between was filed on paper or is not yet published. |
| 31 Dec 2020 | 31 Dec 2021 | differs | Line 3f opened at $484,070,048; the year before closed at $498,042,249. Line 3b opened at $112,963,580; the year before closed at $117,413,580. Line 3c opened at $87,741,307; the year before closed at $91,798,507. Line 3d opened at $28,646,928; the year before closed at $32,076,928. Line 3e opened at $254,718,233; the year before closed at $256,753,234. |
| 31 Dec 2021 | 31 Dec 2022 | agrees | Every opening line is the prior year's closing line, to the dollar. |
| 31 Dec 2022 | 31 Dec 2023 | agrees | Every opening line is the prior year's closing line, to the dollar. |
| 31 Dec 2023 | 31 Dec 2024 | agrees | Every opening line is the prior year's closing line, to the dollar. |
Each excess, from the year it arose
| Arose in the year ended | Amount | Last day it may be applied | Carried at each later year end | As the returns leave it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Dec 2013 | before the first year read | 31 Dec 2018 | – | lapsed ($103,412,679 on line 8) |
| 31 Dec 2014 | before the first year read | 31 Dec 2019 | 2018: $33,903,676 | still carried |
| 31 Dec 2017 | before the first year read | 31 Dec 2022 | 2018: $117,413,580 · 2020: $117,413,580 · 2021: $112,963,580 | lapsed ($112,963,580 on line 8) |
| 31 Dec 2018 | $91,798,507 | 31 Dec 2023 | 2020: $91,798,507 · 2021: $87,741,307 · 2022: $87,741,307 | applied in part, the rest lapsed ($87,741,307 on line 8) |
| 31 Dec 2019 | before the first year read | 31 Dec 2024 | 2020: $32,076,928 · 2021: $28,646,928 · 2022: $28,646,928 · 2023: $28,646,928 | lapsed ($28,646,928 on line 8) |
| 31 Dec 2020 | $256,753,234 | 31 Dec 2025 | 2021: $254,718,233 · 2022: $254,718,233 · 2023: $254,718,233 · 2024: $254,718,233 | still carried |
| 31 Dec 2021 | $183,749,074 | 31 Dec 2026 | 2022: $183,749,074 · 2023: $183,749,074 · 2024: $183,749,074 | still carried |
| 31 Dec 2022 | $80,055,099 | 31 Dec 2027 | 2023: $80,055,099 · 2024: $80,055,099 | still carried |
| 31 Dec 2023 | $155,907,294 | 31 Dec 2028 | 2024: $155,907,294 | still carried |
| 31 Dec 2024 | $287,619,116 | 31 Dec 2029 | – | still carried |
Every Part XII line of every year, as filed and as re-added
Year ended 31 December 2018 · IRS object 201913199349101266
| Line | What it is | Filed | Re-added | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3f | Excess distributions carryover, total of lines 3a to 3e | $254,729,935 | $254,729,935 | agrees |
| 4 | Qualifying distributions applied: lines 4a to 4e add up to line 4 | $762,184,143 | $762,184,143 | agrees |
| 4a | Applied to the prior year's undistributed income | – | $0 | agrees |
| 4d | Applied to this year's distributable amount | $670,385,636 | $670,385,636 | agrees |
| 4e | Remaining amount distributed out of corpus | $91,798,507 | $91,798,507 | agrees |
| 5 | Excess distributions carryover applied to this year | – | $0 | agrees |
| 6a | Corpus: lines 3f, 4c and 4e, less line 5 | $346,528,442 | $346,528,442 | agrees |
| 6b | Earlier years' undistributed income: line 2b less line 4b | – | $0 | agrees |
| 6d | Line 6b less line 6c | – | $0 | agrees |
| 6e | Prior year's undistributed income left: line 2a less line 4a | – | $0 | agrees |
| 6f | This year's undistributed income: line 1 less lines 4d and 5 | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 8 | Carryover from five years back not applied on line 5 or line 7 | $103,412,679 | $103,412,679 | agrees |
| 9 | Excess distributions carryover to next year: line 6a less lines 7 and 8 | $243,115,763 | $243,115,763 | agrees |
| 10 | Analysis of line 9 by year: lines 10a to 10e | $243,115,763 | $243,115,763 | agrees |
Year ended 31 December 2020 · IRS object 202123199349107292
| Line | What it is | Filed | Re-added | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3f | Excess distributions carryover, total of lines 3a to 3e | $241,289,015 | $241,289,015 | agrees |
| 4 | Qualifying distributions applied: lines 4a to 4e add up to line 4 | $959,192,246 | $959,192,246 | agrees |
| 4a | Applied to the prior year's undistributed income | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 4d | Applied to this year's distributable amount | $702,439,012 | $702,439,012 | agrees |
| 4e | Remaining amount distributed out of corpus | $256,753,234 | $256,753,234 | agrees |
| 5 | Excess distributions carryover applied to this year | – | $0 | agrees |
| 6a | Corpus: lines 3f, 4c and 4e, less line 5 | $498,042,249 | $498,042,249 | agrees |
| 6b | Earlier years' undistributed income: line 2b less line 4b | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6d | Line 6b less line 6c | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6e | Prior year's undistributed income left: line 2a less line 4a | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6f | This year's undistributed income: line 1 less lines 4d and 5 | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 8 | Carryover from five years back not applied on line 5 or line 7 | – | $0 | agrees |
| 9 | Excess distributions carryover to next year: line 6a less lines 7 and 8 | $498,042,249 | $498,042,249 | agrees |
| 10 | Analysis of line 9 by year: lines 10a to 10e | $498,042,249 | $498,042,249 | agrees |
Year ended 31 December 2021 · IRS object 202203199349101880
| Line | What it is | Filed | Re-added | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3f | Excess distributions carryover, total of lines 3a to 3e | $484,070,048 | $484,070,048 | agrees |
| 4 | Qualifying distributions applied: lines 4a to 4e add up to line 4 | $1,087,194,894 | $1,087,194,894 | agrees |
| 4a | Applied to the prior year's undistributed income | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 4d | Applied to this year's distributable amount | $903,445,820 | $903,445,820 | agrees |
| 4e | Remaining amount distributed out of corpus | $183,749,074 | $183,749,074 | agrees |
| 5 | Excess distributions carryover applied to this year | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6a | Corpus: lines 3f, 4c and 4e, less line 5 | $667,819,122 | $667,819,122 | agrees |
| 6b | Earlier years' undistributed income: line 2b less line 4b | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6d | Line 6b less line 6c | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6e | Prior year's undistributed income left: line 2a less line 4a | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6f | This year's undistributed income: line 1 less lines 4d and 5 | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 8 | Carryover from five years back not applied on line 5 or line 7 | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 9 | Excess distributions carryover to next year: line 6a less lines 7 and 8 | $667,819,122 | $667,819,122 | agrees |
| 10 | Analysis of line 9 by year: lines 10a to 10e | $667,819,122 | $667,819,122 | agrees |
Year ended 31 December 2022 · IRS object 202343199349104934
| Line | What it is | Filed | Re-added | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3f | Excess distributions carryover, total of lines 3a to 3e | $667,819,122 | $667,819,122 | agrees |
| 4 | Qualifying distributions applied: lines 4a to 4e add up to line 4 | $964,929,655 | $964,929,655 | agrees |
| 4a | Applied to the prior year's undistributed income | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 4d | Applied to this year's distributable amount | $884,874,556 | $884,874,556 | agrees |
| 4e | Remaining amount distributed out of corpus | $80,055,099 | $80,055,099 | agrees |
| 5 | Excess distributions carryover applied to this year | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6a | Corpus: lines 3f, 4c and 4e, less line 5 | $747,874,221 | $747,874,221 | agrees |
| 6b | Earlier years' undistributed income: line 2b less line 4b | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6d | Line 6b less line 6c | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6e | Prior year's undistributed income left: line 2a less line 4a | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6f | This year's undistributed income: line 1 less lines 4d and 5 | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 8 | Carryover from five years back not applied on line 5 or line 7 | $112,963,580 | $112,963,580 | agrees |
| 9 | Excess distributions carryover to next year: line 6a less lines 7 and 8 | $634,910,641 | $634,910,641 | agrees |
| 10 | Analysis of line 9 by year: lines 10a to 10e | $634,910,641 | $634,910,641 | agrees |
Year ended 31 December 2023 · IRS object 202423199349105557
| Line | What it is | Filed | Re-added | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3f | Excess distributions carryover, total of lines 3a to 3e | $634,910,641 | $634,910,641 | agrees |
| 4 | Qualifying distributions applied: lines 4a to 4e add up to line 4 | $951,028,056 | $951,028,056 | agrees |
| 4a | Applied to the prior year's undistributed income | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 4d | Applied to this year's distributable amount | $795,120,762 | $795,120,762 | agrees |
| 4e | Remaining amount distributed out of corpus | $155,907,294 | $155,907,294 | agrees |
| 5 | Excess distributions carryover applied to this year | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6a | Corpus: lines 3f, 4c and 4e, less line 5 | $790,817,935 | $790,817,935 | agrees |
| 6b | Earlier years' undistributed income: line 2b less line 4b | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6d | Line 6b less line 6c | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6e | Prior year's undistributed income left: line 2a less line 4a | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6f | This year's undistributed income: line 1 less lines 4d and 5 | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 8 | Carryover from five years back not applied on line 5 or line 7 | $87,741,307 | $87,741,307 | agrees |
| 9 | Excess distributions carryover to next year: line 6a less lines 7 and 8 | $703,076,628 | $703,076,628 | agrees |
| 10 | Analysis of line 9 by year: lines 10a to 10e | $703,076,628 | $703,076,628 | agrees |
Year ended 31 December 2024 · IRS object 202513219349106006
| Line | What it is | Filed | Re-added | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3f | Excess distributions carryover, total of lines 3a to 3e | $703,076,628 | $703,076,628 | agrees |
| 4 | Qualifying distributions applied: lines 4a to 4e add up to line 4 | $1,102,547,617 | $1,102,547,617 | agrees |
| 4a | Applied to the prior year's undistributed income | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 4d | Applied to this year's distributable amount | $814,928,501 | $814,928,501 | agrees |
| 4e | Remaining amount distributed out of corpus | $287,619,116 | $287,619,116 | agrees |
| 5 | Excess distributions carryover applied to this year | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6a | Corpus: lines 3f, 4c and 4e, less line 5 | $990,695,744 | $990,695,744 | agrees |
| 6b | Earlier years' undistributed income: line 2b less line 4b | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6d | Line 6b less line 6c | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6e | Prior year's undistributed income left: line 2a less line 4a | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 6f | This year's undistributed income: line 1 less lines 4d and 5 | $0 | $0 | agrees |
| 8 | Carryover from five years back not applied on line 5 or line 7 | $28,646,928 | $28,646,928 | agrees |
| 9 | Excess distributions carryover to next year: line 6a less lines 7 and 8 | $962,048,816 | $962,048,816 | agrees |
| 10 | Analysis of line 9 by year: lines 10a to 10e | $962,048,816 | $962,048,816 | agrees |
- Every figure is a filed Form 990-PF as the IRS published it, or exact arithmetic on it; nothing is estimated.
- A line that differs is the return's figure beside the recomputed one. The return may rest on something these files do not show: an election statement, a set-aside, a corrected valuation, an amended return not yet published. It is not a finding.
- Whether any tax applies is not decided here. Lines 6d and 6e are the form's own lines, re-added; §4942(a) turns on facts no return shows.
- The chain is as long as the e-filed returns the IRS has published for this foundation; a year filed on paper is a gap, and a gap is said, never bridged.
- This reading’s hash
672aeef6bd92cd7d…(chain v1, rules 88ef69903d76…); each year’s return is named by its IRS object id and the SHA-256 of its bytes: 201913199349101266 b087342d8084…; 202123199349107292 28341ac5e604…; 202203199349101880 a089d4f3acfa…; 202343199349104934 9ef564221000…; 202423199349105557 841b4c419536…; 202513219349106006 1b338cfb40e7….
What this hash is over
chain
672aeef6bd92cd7dd2a7ad4e829d5a7aa0c66e5672058ec043f40cec9a19d39d · recomputed now, matchesreturns 6 Forms 990-PF; the digest over their object ids and byte hashes, in order, is
48f659d8f06b905c3d445d841ef46dce278d12aebf474c8342dd1def61edccd8rules chain v1, the code at digest
88ef69903d76d38ca097414c88fb46a3df8adc03641674b2a712ab040253379eCheck it without us: verify the seal, read the sealed body, or run verify_chain.py, which fetches each return from irs.gov, checks its bytes against the hashes above and re-adds every line with code that shares nothing with ours.
The page is not indexed. It is read by whoever holds the link: the person who asked for it, and anyone the foundation sends it to, its preparer first.