Charlie Munger

From Depression-Era Hardship to Becoming Warren Buffett's Partner

business education
Charlie Munger

Net Worth

$2.6B

Born

January 1, 1924 (died age 99)

Country

United States

Occupation

Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Investor, Philanthropist

Gender

male

Generation

Greatest Generation

Marital Status

married

Children

8

Single Parent Household

No

Education

Master's

University

University of Michigan, California Institute of Technology, Harvard Law School

Industries

business, education

Wealth Category

billionaire

Wealth Origin

self-made

First-Gen Wealth

Yes

Overcame

  • Father lost savings during Great Depression
  • First marriage ended in divorce; son died of leukemia
  • Developed cataracts; lost one eye to glaucoma
  • Faced blindness risk in remaining eye
  • Worked multiple jobs to support family through school

Charlie Munger was Warren Buffett's longtime business partner and Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. A lawyer turned investor, he developed the 'latticework of mental models' approach to decision-making that influenced generations of investors. Known for his blunt wisdom and multidisciplinary thinking, he was considered one of the greatest minds in business history.

Career Timeline

1924

Born in Omaha, Nebraska

1941 Age 17

Enrolled at University of Michigan to study mathematics

1943 Age 19
Turning Point

Dropped out to join Army Air Corps during WWII

1946 Age 22
Milestone

Married Nancy Huggins; first marriage

1948 Age 24
Milestone

Graduated from Harvard Law School magna cum laude

1949 Age 25
Milestone

Admitted to California bar; began law practice

1953 Age 29
Setback

Divorced; lost most assets in settlement

1955 Age 31
Setback

Son Teddy diagnosed with leukemia

1959 Age 35
Setback

Son Teddy died of leukemia at age 9

1959 Age 35
Turning Point

Met Warren Buffett at dinner party

1962 Age 38
Milestone

Founded law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson

1962 Age 38
Turning Point

Started investment partnership with Buffett

1965 Age 41
Turning Point

Left law to focus on investing full-time

1978 Age 54
Milestone

Became Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway

1984 Age 60
Achievement

Delivered 'The Art of Stock Picking' speech

1986 Age 62
Achievement

Delivered Harvard commencement speech

1997 Age 73
Milestone

First Wesco Financial annual meeting as chairman

2005 Age 81
Achievement

Poor Charlie's Almanack published

2010 Age 86
Milestone

Wesco merged into Berkshire; remained Berkshire vice chairman

2023 Age 99
Setback

Died in Santa Barbara, California

Notable Quotes

"In my whole life, I have known no wise people who didn't read all the time—none, zero."

"The big money is not in the buying and selling, but in the waiting."

"Spend each day trying to be a little wiser than you were when you woke up."

"Knowing what you don't know is more useful than being brilliant."

"I never allow myself to have an opinion on anything that I don't know the other side's argument better than they do."