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Forbes has recently compiled a ranking list for America’s super rich. This year, for only the fifth time since 1982, the collective net worth of The Forbes 400 Richest Americans has declined – falling $300 billion in the past 12 months from US$1.57 trillion to US$1.27 trillion. Faltering capital markets and real estate prices, along with divorce and fraud, pushed the fortunes of 314 members down and drove 32 drop off the rankings.

Warren Buffett, America’s second-richest citizen, hurts the most. The Oracle of Omaha dropped US$10 billion from his personal balance sheet as shares of Berkshire Hathaway fell 20% in 12 months. He is now worth US$40 billion. Beating out Buffett for the 16th straight year as America’s richest man is Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Sluggish Microsoft shares and declining outside investments pushed the software visionary’s net worth down US$7 billion in 12 months. The top-10 richest Americans lost a combined US$39.2 billion in the past 12 months, a 14% decline.

The biggest gainer is banker Andrew Beal, who tripled his net worth to US$4.5 billion buying up cheap loans and assets as the markets crumbled last fall. Membership on the list was made easier as the price of admission dropped US$350 million, from US$1.3 billion last year to US$950 million this year, paving the way for 19 new members and 19 returnees.

Newcomers to the list include Marvel Entertainment chief Isaac Perlmutter, whose net worth soared to US$1.55 billion after Disney agreed to buy the superhero outfit in August for US$4 billion in cash and stock. Other new members include Bloomberg LP co-founder Charles Zegar (US$1 billion), mapping-software magnate Jack Dangermond (US$2 billion) and trading titan Steven Schonfeld (US$1 billion). You can check out the top-24 of the ranking list below:

The complete list can be found at www.forbes.com/lists/2009/54/rich-list-09_The-400-Richest-Americans_Rank.html. You can also check out for more details of each of The Forbes 400 Richest Americans 2009 at www.forbes.com/2009/09/29/forbes-400_rich-list-09_all_slide_2.html.