The richest Americans just got richer.
Information technology czars have again dominated the Forbes 400 Richest Americans list, with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates leading the super-rich with a personal wealth of $46 billion.
This is for the 10th consecutive year that William Henry II 'Bill' Gates, who also is the world's richest man, has taken the top slot.
Billionaire investor Warren Buffet is the second richest American with a wealth of $36 billion. Also know as the Sage of Omaha, Buffet is the Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder and chief of Microsoft Investments, with a personal bounty of $22 billion is the third richest amongst the Americans.
However, the Forbes list is not full of only technology giants or champion investors. Some others figure in the super-rich list thanks to family fortunes.
Five Walton family of Wal-Mart Stores Inc, each with a personal wealth of $20.5 billion, occupy the next five spots (from no.4 to No. 8) in the list.
Helen Walton, S Robson Walton, John Walton, Jim Walton and Alice Walton are the fourth richest Americans.
IT czar Larry Ellison, Chairman, Oracle Corporation, is the ninth richest American with a personal wealth of $18 billion.
Michael Dell, Chairman of Dell Computer Corporation, whose wealth grew by $1.8 billion to $13 billion, took the 10th spot in the list.
Forbes said that the aggregate net worth of America's wealthiest 400 citizens leapt 10 per cent in the past year to $955 billion.
However, not all were fortunate. Twenty names who earlier figured in the list dropped out. These include chief of the World Wrestling Entertainment Inc and Global Crossing Ltd's Gary Winick.
