The Forbes 400: The Richest People In America 2014

1. Bill Gates

Net worth: $81 billion, up $9 billion
Source: Microsoft
Age: 58

• Richest man in America for the 21st straight year

• His Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given away $30 billion since 2000

• As America’s top philanthropist, he picks and chooses which of the world’s biggest issues to tackle. This year he pledged $50 million to fight the Ebola outbreak in Africa and $1 million to advocate for gun control in Washington.

• Net worth is up $9 billion, helped by rising shares of Microsoft, Canadian National Railway and trash company Republic Services

• Cofounded Microsoft with childhood friend Paul Allen. Harvard hallmate Steve Ballmer served as longtime CEO. All three are among top 30 richest in America.

• Bulk of his fortune is in private investment vehicle Cascade, which holds stakes in Canadian National Railway, tractor maker Deere & Co., and South American McDonald’s franchisee Arcos Dorados (golden arches in Spanish.)

2. Warren Buffett

Net worth: $67 billion, up $8.5 billion
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
Age: 84

• Has been the second-richest man in America, behind Gates, every year since 2001

• Net worth up $8.5 billion thanks to surging stock in Berkshire Hathaway

• Class A shares of Berkshire Hathaway are the most expensive shares of any public company, over $200,000 apiece

• Has given away nearly $23 billion in his lifetime, to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and to foundations run by his 3 children

• His company has dozens of subsidiaries, including Dairy queen, Geico insurance, See’s Candies and Heinz ketchup.

3. Larry Ellison

Net worth: $50 billion, up $9 billion
Source: Oracle
Age: 70

• Shocked business world when he announced he would step down as Oracle CEO in September, but will remain chief technology officer

• Richest man in Silicon Valley

• Built databases for the CIA before founding Oracle in 1977

• Continuing to add to his real estate portfolio by buying up the Hawaiian island of Lanai.

• He bought nearly the entire Hawaiian island of Lanai in 2012 and continues to add to his holdings there

• 86% of his net worth is tied up in Oracle stock.

4. Charles Koch

Net worth: $42 billion, up $6 billion
Source: diversified
Age: 78

• Chairman and CEO of Koch Industries, second-largest private company in America, with sales of $115 billion

• He took over for his father Fred in 1967 and grew the company into the giant it is today

• He and his brother David are pouring money toward a Republican effort to take control of the Senate in 2014

• This year Koch Industries acquired inkmaker Fling Group for a reported $3 billion and PetroLogistics for $2.1 billion.

4. David Koch

Net worth: $42 billion, up $6 billion
Source: diversified
Age: 74

• Richest man in New York City

• He and his brother Charles share control of Koch Industries, second-largest private company in America

• Koch Industries’ interests include oil pipelines, refineries, building materials, paper towels and even Dixie cups

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York dedicated the David H. Koch Plaza in September after he funded a $65 million renovation

6. Christy Walton & family

Net worth: $38 billion, up $2.6 billion
Source: Wal-Mart
Age: 59

• Richest woman in the world

• Married into the richest family in the world, worth over $150 billion

• Former husband John Walton died in a plane crash in 2005

• Richest member of the Walton family thanks to a side investment in solar company First Solar. Its shares are up 87% since last year’s Forbes 400.

7. Jim Walton

Net worth: $36 billion, up $2.2 billion
Source: Wal-Mart
Age: 66

• Largest individual shareholder of Wal-Mart

• Youngest child of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton

• CEO of family-founded Arvest Bank, which has branches in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri

8. Michael Bloomberg

Net worth: $35 billion, up $4 billion
Source: Bloomberg LP
Age: 72

• Returned to lead Bloomberg LP less than a year after ending tenure as mayor of New York

• Owns 88% of Bloomberg LP, which will pass $9 billion in revenue in 2014

• Got his start working on Wall Street at Salomon Brothers in 1966

• Has given away $3.3 billion in his lifetime

• Reportedly spending $50 million this year battling the NRA, which has launched an attack ad taking direct aim at Bloomberg personally.

9. Alice Walton

Net worth: $34.9 billion, up $1.4 billion
Source: Wal-Mart
Age: 64

• Daughter of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton

• Opened her Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas in 2011, which has works from Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell and Mark Rothko.

• Fortune up $1.4 billion thanks to rising value of Wal-Mart shares

10. S. Robson Walton

Net worth: $34.8 billion, up $1.5 billion
Source: Wal-Mart
Age: 70

• Oldest son of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton

• Chairman of Wal-Mart board for nearly a half century

• Also owns a stake in Hyatt Hotels

• Public face of the Walton family has had to deal with criticism over low wages and bribery scandal in Mexico

• Wal-Mart revenues have increased ninefold since he became chairman in 1992

 Source: Yahoo