USA Today reporting on the Forbes 400 puts Bill Gates at $116 billion in September 2026 as No. 14 among richest Americans, described in USA Today's Forbes 400 report.
His earnings combine modest Microsoft salary, Microsoft stock sales and dividends, book royalties, and diversified partnerships. Bloomberg estimates Cascade Investment, his private investment firm, holds most of that wealth. That base supports philanthropy, energy ventures and technology roles.
Table of Contents
- What is his net worth right now?
- Why was his Microsoft salary so small?
- Where do stock sales and royalties fit?
- Which partnerships shape earnings and giving?
What is his net worth right now?
Mid-2026 global rankings placed him around $106.5 billion as 19th richest. The higher September U.S. figure reflects a later date, U.S.
scope and Microsoft value. Net-worth totals move with markets and gift accounting. Bloomberg cut about $50 billion in July 2025 to reflect giving. Readers comparing lists should match date, scope and gift treatment.
Why was his Microsoft salary so small?
ZDNet's report on the Microsoft proxy filing shows Gates drew $600,000 salary plus $400,000 bonus in fiscal 2005, described in ZDNet's report on the Microsoft proxy filing. Microsoft told the SEC the amount reflected his large share ownership.
Earlier Microsoft proxies show the same pattern. ZDNet reporting on the 1998 SEC filing lists $349,992 salary plus bonus totaling $591,352. Salary stayed trivial beside stock gains by design.
Where do stock sales and royalties fit?
Bloomberg reporting estimates over $60 billion came from Microsoft stock and dividend income, including a $3.3 billion 2004 dividend, described in Bloomberg reporting summarized here. Those proceeds built Cascade Investment. Daniel Scrivner holdings analysis says Cascade cut Microsoft from 26.2 million to 9.2 million shares in Q3 2025, lowering that position from about $13 billion to $4.8 billion. That sale shows active rebalancing rather than buy-and-hold loyalty.
Cascade keeps a smaller Microsoft stake while funding other holdings. Early book money went to charity. Education Week reported Gates gave about a $2.5 million advance plus proceeds from The Road Ahead to the National Education Association for teacher technology grants. Publisher records list Source Code: My Beginnings on Feb. 4, 2025 as the first of three planned memoirs covering childhood through Microsoft's 1975 founding with Paul Allen.
Which partnerships shape earnings and giving?
MarketMinute Q3 2025 holdings reporting lists diversified Cascade positions across Berkshire Hathaway, Waste Management, Canadian National Railway, Caterpillar and Deere. It also lists 71.3% of Four Seasons and about 26.19 million Microsoft shares before 2025 trims. An Infosys/WEF 2024 biography lists his key roles as Gates Foundation chair, Breakthrough Energy and TerraPower founder, Cascade Investment and Gates Ventures founder, and Microsoft technology adviser after stepping down as CEO in 2000.
Reuters reported in May 2025 that Gates pledged to give virtually all wealth, about $200 billion, through the Gates Foundation, described in Reuters report via TradingView. The Gates Foundation is scheduled to close Dec. 31, 2045.
- Berkshire Hathaway, Waste Management and Canadian National Railway anchor defensive income.
- Caterpillar, Deere and Four Seasons add industrial and hospitality exposure.
- A smaller Microsoft stake keeps tech upside while reducing concentration.
You Might Also Like
- Earnings Net Worth 2026 Guide: ownership, estimates, and uncertainty; Key Facts and Questions to Ask
- What Is New With Earnings Net Worth in October 2026? Latest filings and public asset records and Key Takeaways
- How to Verify Earnings Net Worth Claims in 2026: filings and public asset records, Evidence, and Red Flags