Since the Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, revealed their plans this week to give away 99 percent of their Facebook shares over their lifetimes toward philanthropic purposes, the couple has faced plenty of heat.
Tax experts and others have focused their ire on how Mr. Zuckerberg and Dr. Chan are technically not giving their shares to charity, but instead are creating a limited liability company that gives them more control over how and what they do with the shares.
Among others, Jack Blum, a lawyer and chairman of Tax Justice Network USA, said Mr. Zuckerberg’s use of an L.L.C. is setting a bad precedent because the structure enables a lack of disclosure.
All the criticism appears to have provoked a response. On Thursday, Mr. Zuckerberg posted an explanation about why he was using an L.L.C. structure. The 31-year-old C.E.O. said an L.L.C. affords greater flexibility and is not a way for him and his wife to avoid paying taxes, writes Vindu Goel. Mr. Zuckerberg is currently on a two-month paternity leave following the birth of his daughter, Maxima, who is nicknamed Max.