The Forbes 400 Richest Americans

©Carlos Barria/Reuters

2. Warren Buffett Net Worth: $50 billion Source: Investments Residence: Omaha Age: 78 Marital Status: Widowed, remarried; 3 children

• Iconic investor crowned the World’s Richest Man in March as Berkshire Hathaway shares ran up 25% between July 2007 and February 2008.
• Berkshire stock has fallen 15% since; Oracle of Omaha’s fortune down $12 billion in 6 months, forcing him to cede the title of America’s richest back to friend and bridge partner Bill Gates.
• Son of Nebraska politician delivered newspapers as a boy.

More from Forbes.com: • In Pictures: Secrets of the Self-Made Billionaires • In Pictures: 25 Years of Wealth • In Pictures: Service Industry Billionaires In Pictures: The 400 Richest Americans

• Filed first tax return at age 13, claiming $35 deduction for bicycle.
• Studied under value investing guru Benjamin Graham at Columbia.
• Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway 1965.
• Today holding company invested in insurance (Geico, General Re), jewelry (Borsheim’s), utilities (MidAmerican Energy), food (Dairy Queen, See’s Candies). Also has noncontrolling stakes in Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo.
• Berkshire Hathaway sales in 2007: $118 billion.
• Issued a challenge to members of The Forbes 400 last October; said he would donate $1 million to charity if the collective group would admit they pay less taxes, as a percentage of income, than their secretaries.
• Irrevocably earmarked the majority of his Berkshire shares for charity in 2006, mostly to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

©AP Photo/Paul Sakuma

3. Lawrence Ellison Net Worth: $27 billion Source: Oracle Residence: Redwood City, Calif. Age: 64 Marital Status: Thrice divorced, remarried; 2 children

• Database titan continues to buy up would-be competition; more than 40 acquisitions in the past 4 years.
• Bought BEA Systems for $8.5 billion in January. Revenues up 25% to $22.4 billion this year; profits up 29% to $5.5 billion. Stock down 12% in past 12 months.
• Invested $125 million in Web software outfit Netsuite; took public in December, stock promptly dropped 30%. His shares still worth $500 million.
• Chicago native studied physics at U. of Chicago, didn’t graduate.
• Started Oracle in 1977. Public 1986, a day before Microsoft.
• Owns 453-foot Rising Sun; built a smaller leisure boat because superyacht is hard to park.
• Squabbling in court with Swiss boating billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli over terms of next America’s Cup.
• Recently unveiled hulking 90-foot trimaran he intends to use to win it.

©AP Photo/April L. Brown

4. Jim C. Walton Net Worth: $23.4 billion Source: Wal-Mart Residence: Bentonville, Ark. Age: 60 Marital Status: Married, 4 children

• Son of Wal-mart pioneer Sam Walton (d. 1992) reclaims spot in Forbes 400 Top 10 after falling off last year.
• Wal-Mart shares up 45% since last September, as cash-strapped consumers head to discount-driven superstores in droves.
• Also profiting from stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar; shares up 120% in past 12 months.
• Sam started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark. five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin 5 years later. Lost lease in 1950.
• With brother James started general-store chain in Bentonville, Ark., 1962.
• Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: 7,300 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion.
• Jim: chairs Arvest Bank Group, Community Publishers.

©AP Photo/April L. Brown

5. S. Robson Walton Net Worth: $23.3 billion Source: Wal-Mart Residence: Bentonville, Ark. Age: 64 Marital Status: Divorced, remarried; 3 children

• Son of Wal-mart pioneer Sam Walton (d. 1992) reclaims spot in Forbes 400 Top 10 after falling off last year.
• Wal-Mart shares up 45% since last September, as cash-strapped consumers head to discount-driven superstores in droves.
• Also profiting from stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar; shares up 120% in past 12 months.
• Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: 7,300 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion.
• Rob: Wal-Mart chairman; helping company become eco-friendly through partnership with environmental group Conservation International.

6. Christy Walton & family Net Worth: $23.2 billion Source: Wal-Mart Residence: Jackson, Wyo. Age: 53 Marital Status: Widowed, 1 child

• Daughter-in-law of Wal-mart pioneer Sam Walton (d. 1992) reclaims spot in Forbes 400 Top 10 after falling off last year.
• Wal-Mart shares up 45% since last September, as cash-strapped consumers head to discount-driven superstores in droves.
• Also profiting from stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar; shares up 120% in past 12 months.
• Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: 7,300 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion.
• Christy: Widow of John Walton (d. 2005) donated 7-acre San Diego home to Cross Border Philanthropy.

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