Financial Fellow

Written by J.P. Wicklein

I came across a segment about the future of Berkshire Hathaway after Warren Buffett dies. Due to Buffett’s advanced age, he just turned 79, the Berkshire Board of Directors often discusses potential successors. The Bloomberg feature discusses a couple possible contenders to take over the $156 billion company. (Try not to get hypnotized by the tickers.)

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Written by J.P. Wicklein
     I had a thought recently.  If a person walked into a casino with the single goal of winning $5 I think the odds are overwhelmingly in their favor of walking away with the casino’s money.  Fair warning:  I may be wrong so, PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS. 
     Imagine you walked [...]

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Written by J.P. Wicklein
     My girlfriend and I decided to join the 21st century and replace our tube television with a new, 40” LCD television.  After much deliberation and research we settled on a Sumsung 40” LCD television with 1080p and 120 Hz (model #LN40B630). 
     I spent a couple hours attempting to find it [...]

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Written by J.P. Wicklein

Warren Buffett is the Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and consistently one of the three wealthiest men in the world. Less known is Berkshire’s Vice-Chairman, and longtime Buffett friend, Charlie Munger. Although less famous, Munger’s financial insights are on par with Buffett’s. Munger also shares Buffett’s folksy, down-to-earth personality.

Recently, the two of them sat down with Fox Business for an extended interview. I came across a segment in which the two of them address, among other issues, excessive executive compensation. Check it out!

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Written by J.P. Wicklein

The University of Iowa has launched a federally-funded study of America’s drivers. What could this mean for you? They’re looking for drivers and are offering $895 to entice participants.

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Written by J.P. Wicklein

In May I wrote about the federal “Cash for Clunkers” program. Through the program, owners of poorer mileage cars could be eligible to receive up to $4,500 toward the purchase of a new, higher mileage car. Last month, the “Cash for Clunkers” program was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama. It has been officially re-branded the “Car Allowance Rebate System” (CARS). Here are the details:

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Written by J.P. Wicklein

     The Obama administration and Congressional Democrats are working on the final details of the government’s plan to give you up to $4,500 toward the purchase of a new car – when you trade in a qualifying, used car. Here’s how you can qualify under the current plan:

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Written by J.P. Wicklein

Chances are you’ve seen a TV advertisement offering a free copy of your credit report. Often, though, you’ll be required to purchase something (such as credit monitoring) to receive it for “free”. There’s only one way to receive a free copy of your credit report with no strings attached. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) every consumer is entitled to receive a free copy of their credit report from each credit bureau (TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax) once a year.

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Written by J.P. Wicklein

     Just about everyone has an idea for a business they’d like to start but few people ever pull the trigger. Instead, many of us are content to work for someone else’s company and receive a consistent paycheck. Often, people are afraid to start a business or feel overwhelmed by the process. If you’re able to overcome your fears, or reservations, starting your own business can become fulfilling and rewarding. Here are 5 reasons why you should launch your own business:

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Written by J.P. Wicklein

Here’s the latest batch of five interesting and useful financial articles I’ve come across lately:

1. My Money Blog relayed a story last week about Zecco’s April Fool’s Day joke. What would you do if your online stock broker accidentally updated your account with millions of dollars in buying power – on April 1st?

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