Still the best Fin Calculator

I used this calculation for my MBA program (2004-2005) while everyone else in the class was using Excel. This calculator took me through two accounting classes and three financial analysis classes. Forget the RPN verses algebratic input, you'll get past that 10 minutes after reading the manual (uh oh... that might be the problem...lol). This calculator will solve nearly every class of TVM problem, bonds (T's and others), depreciation, leasing, and most everything else you are liable to come across in the business world. No, it will NOT replace Excel, but it will prevent you from having to drag out your laptop if you are on the plane (or in your dorm) and trying to figure out a simple lease vs buy decision (oops, remember to include taxes and depreciation, too...).

But back to the MBA program... the people were forever scrambling to find the function that would magically solve their problem, but they soon learned they were limited to "canned" solutions, and in order to solve real world problems, they had to chain lots of these things together. So not only did they have to learn the class material, they had to learn how to do it in Excel. Their homework took day. Mine, a couple of hours. I was the only one to end the program with a 4.00 GPA.

A TI calculator - granted - may simpler to operate, but you will soon find it's limitations. Especially when you need to do problems that require you to "chain" results together. With the TI, you'd better have a pencil and paper handy, since you'll have to note intermediate steps.

Yes, the HP-12 is ancient, but I believe that it was created by business people that knew how to solve BUSINESS PROBLEMS, as opposed to merely wanting something that could perform financial calculations... and face it, TVM, leasing, bond, depreciation, and IRR concepts won't be changing for a long time...

(Oh, and it's programmable).