OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — America's richest are getting richer and Warren Buffett leads the pack for turning his money into more money.
The head of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. gained $12.5 billion over the last year, making him the biggest dollar gainer among his wealthy peers. His $58.5 billion net worth places him second on the Forbes list of the 400 wealthiest people in the United States.
Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates took the top spot for the 20th straight year with $72 billion.
Forbes on Monday released its annual list of the richest Americans. Their fortunes grew on the strength of stock and real estate markets.
Forbes says the 400 people on the list posted a combined net worth of $2 trillion, up from $1.7 trillion a year ago, their highest combined value ever.
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