In June 2006, Buffett made an announcement that he would be giving his entire fortune away to charity, committing 85 percent of it to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This donation became the largest act of charitable giving in United States history.
The majority of Buffett's considerable fortune was amassed through Berkshire Hathaway, a company for which he is the largest shareholder and CEO. Once ranked as Forbes' wealthiest man in 2008, his net worth was estimated at roughly $44 billion in 2012.
Now in his eighties, Buffett recently announced that he is battling prostate cancer. He will begin treatment in July 2012 and expects to be able to fulfill his usual responsibilities at Berkshire Hathaway. "I feel great ... and my energy level is 100 percent," Buffett said in a statement.