Warren Buffett is an American business magnate with a net worth of $165 billion as of March 2025. Known as the Oracle of Omaha, Buffett is regarded as the most successful investor in the 20th and 21st centuries.
The Self-Made Billionaire maintains that money cannot buy happiness. He has donated billions to various causes using his charity organization, the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. Additionally, Buffet has pledged to give 99% of his wealth to charity, with significant contributions to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other family charity projects.
Are you eager to learn how Warren Buffett built his massive wealth to become the fifth-richest person in the world?
Warren Buffet bio
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Warren Edward Buffett |
| Born | August 30, 1930, age 94 in 2025 |
| Birthplace | Omaha, Nebraska, USA |
| Net worth | $165 billion as of March 2025 |
| Source of wealth | Investing, Berkshire Hathaway |
| Title | Chairman & CEO of Berkshire Hathaway |
| Nicknames | The Oracle of Omaha |
| Ranking | 6th-richest person in the world (2025) |
| Philanthropy | Pledged to donate 99% of his wealth |
| Major charity | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation |
| Education | University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Columbia Business School |
| Famous for | Value investing, long-term stock market success |
Early Life and Education
Warren Buffett was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on August 30, 1930. He was the third child and only son of Howard Buffett and Leila Buffett. His father was a politician and businessman. He served four terms as the United States representative for Nebraska. He was also a renowned philanthropist who believed in giving back to society.
Warren Buffett’s interest in building wealth started in childhood. He sold soft drinks to make money. At 14, he purchased 40 acres of farmland and rented it to local farmers to make a profit.
Warren Buffett attended Rose Hill Elementary School. The family moved to Washington, D.C., when his father became a Congressman. Buffett joined Alice Deal Junior High School and attended Woodrow Wilson High School. He graduated in 1947.
After high school, Buffett wanted to go straight to business. However, his father advised against it and pushed him to join the University of Pennsylvania. He left the university after two years and enrolled at the University of Nebraska.
Buffett enrolled at Columbia University, where his journey to his 11-figure fortune began. At Columbia, Buffett studied under Benjamin Graham, the famous “father of value investing”. After graduation, Graham refused to hire Buffett, saying he had no future on Wall Street. He, however, gave him a job later at Graham-Newman Corporation in 1954. Buffett returned to Omaha and worked at his father’s brokerage business.
Personal Life
Warren Buffett married Susan Thompson in 1952. The couple had three children: Susan Alice Buffett, Howard Graham Buffett, and Peter Andrew Buffett. Susan Thompson moved to San Fransisco in 1977 to pursue a singing career but remained married to Buffet until 2004 when she died of a stroke. Buffet remarried in 2006.
Buffett and his second wife, Astrid Menks, were longtime companions. They started seeing each other in 1978. Susan introduced Astrid to Buffet before leaving Omaha for San Francisco, and Astrid moved in with him shortly afterward. They wedded in 2006 during Buffet’s 76th birthday in a private event at Buffet’s daughter’s home in Omaha.
Warren Buffett had several affairs during his marriage to Susan Thompson. He was a close friend of the late Katharine Graham, the former publisher of the Washington Post. While they were rumored to be romantically involved, Buffet never publicly acknowledged the relationship. This was after Berkshire Hathaway bought shares in her company, the Washington Post.
Net Worth Over the Years By Age
Though he was born into a stable family, Warren Buffett had to build his way up to his impressive net worth of $165 billion, making him the sixth-richest person in the world. His father supported his dreams and ambitions, although he initially thought Warren had no future on Wall Street.
Throughout his life, Buffett has earned above median household income. He filed his first federal tax returns in 1944, at 14. The IRS required all American citizens with an annual revenue of $500 to file their tax returns. Young Buffett had made $592.50 that year.
The legendary investor did not become a billionaire until after his 50th birthday.
| Decade | Net worth |
| In his 20s | $140,000 |
| In his 30s | $25 million |
| In his 40s | $67 million |
| In his 50s | $3.8 billion |
| In his 60s | $16.5 billion |
| In his 70s | $35.7 billion |
| In his 80s and 90s | $165 billion as of March 2025 |
How Does Warren Buffett Invest?
Warren Buffett started his journey to massive wealth with only $9,800. He has built his massive net worth from his investment prowess. The billionaire philanthropist takes advantage of every investment opportunity. Buffett pumps billions of dollars into opportunities that show potential long-term growth.
So, how does Warren Buffet invest?
Buffett is an elite investor who learned from the best investors. He studied under Benjamin Graham and worked in his father’s brokerage firm. His investment portfolio spans from stocks to startups in various industries.
Stocks
Buffett’s bold investment decisions have played a massive role in the growth of his fortune. His investment portfolio includes significant holdings in companies like Apple, American Express, Coca-Cola, and Bank of America.
Buy and hold is his common, long-term investment strategy. The CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. buys strong businesses that show growth potential and keep them for the longest time. He says his favorite holding period is forever, and he does not mind when stocks tumble occasionally. He treats such as investment opportunities to buy more shares.
Despite having a disciplined investment philosophy, Buffet is an active stock trader. He buys and sells stocks using his investment firm, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. The giant investment firm is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. It was established in the 1800s as a textile business. It has become a holding company comprising various firms in different industries.
Businesses under Berkshire Hathaway include GEICO. GEICO is one of the biggest insurance companies in the United States.
During the first quarter of 2025, Berkshire sold shares worth $13.2 billion and bought only $2.8 billion. In line with his contrarian investing, Buffett increased his stake in Occidental Petroleum, reflecting his confidence in the energy sector.
Real Estate
Buffett’s approach to real estate investment is primarily through Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). He believes direct investment in physical properties does not offer the same value as other investment avenues. In 2017, Berkshire Hathaway invested $377 million in Store Capital, a real estate investment trust specializing in single-tenant properties.
Startups
Buffett is famous for making bold investments and holding them for the longest time. This approach has been one of Buffett’s success secrets since the beginning. He invests in early-stage companies that show growth potential and hold them long-term.
Recently, the American business magnate has turned to financial technology companies. One of the startups that caught the eye of Warren Buffett is Brazil’s Nubank. Buffett invested $500 million in this fast-growing fintech trending in the Latin American market. This investment placed Nubank on the same level as major fintech companies such as Lufax.
Other notable fintech companies that Warren Buffett has invested in include Brazil’s StoneCo Ltd. His $143 million investment in this company made it a significant holding in Berkshire Hathaway.
Cars
Despite his billionaire status, Warren Buffett is a frugal person. He does not own luxury cars or a yacht. Buffett used his 2006 Cadillac DTS for eight years before upgrading to the 2014 XTS.
The investing legend also invests in the automobile industry. He has a 53-million stake in GM, Caddilac’s parent company. Though he prefers investing in American motor makers, he also holds shares in a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, BYD.
Planes and Aviation
While Warren Buffet does not own expensive luxury vehicles or yachts, he has the largest fleet of private jets. He bought his first used jet, which he upgraded with a brand new one in 1989. He added Executive Jets Asia (EJA) and NetJets to his fleet in 1998. The three purchases cost $850,000, $6.7 million, and $725 million, respectively.
Warren Buffett has always criticized CEOs who own private jets. He said his planes are essential business tools to defend his expensive fleet of jets.
Warren Buffett held stocks in various aviation companies, including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines. In April 2020, Buffett sold all shares in these airlines due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on commercial air transport.
Gold and Silver
While many affluent people love to invest in precious metals, Buffett is different. The man believes in value investing. He does not invest in gold, yet he has over $1 billion in silver.
While many think he hates gold, it simply comes down to value. Warren Buffett believes that gold has nothing to offer beyond its rarity. Silver is applicable in various industries, making it a worthwhile investment compared to gold.
Charities
Buffett pledged to give 99% of his fortune to charity. He issued lifetime pledge letters in 2006, committing to give Berkshire B shares to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In the following years, the self-made billionaire has given billions of dollars to charity. As of 2025, he has donated over $50 billion, making him one of the most generous philanthropists in history.
