Pew Research indicates that roughly 20% of Americans continue working beyond the typical retirement age. Warren Buffett, the 94-year-old CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is a prime example of the financial benefits that can come with working later in life. According to Barron’s, Buffett amassed nearly 95% of his fortune after he turned 65.
Buffett celebrated his 65th birthday on August 30, 1995. At that moment, his shares in Berkshire were valued around $12 billion, which equates to approximately $25.3 billion when adjusted for inflation today. Over the ensuing 30 years, his net worth surged as the value of Berkshire stock increased nearly 30 times.
Currently, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates Buffett’s wealth at $141 billion, with the vast majority—$140 billion—linked to his Berkshire Hathaway shares. This places him as the 11th wealthiest individual globally, based on current assessments.
Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett. Photo by Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage
Despite substantial charitable contributions, Buffett’s net worth has increased nearly 12-fold from 1995 through 2025. This past June, he made his largest annual donation to date, distributing $6 billion among the Gates Foundation and four family charities: the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the Sherwood Foundation, and the NoVo Foundation.
Starting in June 2006, Buffett has consistently made yearly contributions to these foundations, amassing over $60 billion in donations to date.
According to Barron’s, if Buffett had retained all of his wealth instead of donating a portion, his fortune would have more than doubled, amounting to over $300 billion.
Buffett has held the position of CEO of Berkshire Hathaway for 55 years, beginning his tenure in 1970. At Berkshire’s annual meeting earlier this year, he announced that he would be stepping down, and Greg Abel, 62, Berkshire’s vice chairman of non-insurance operations, will assume the role of CEO on Jan. 1, 2026.
Berkshire Hathaway’s market value was a little over $1 trillion at the time of writing.
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About one in five Americans works past the traditional retirement age, according to Pew Research. And billionaire Warren Buffett has proven that it can be quite lucrative to keep working in older age — the 94-year-old Berkshire Hathaway CEO earned close to 95% of his personal wealth after age 65, per Barron’s.
Buffett turned 65 on Aug. 30, 1995. At that time, his Berkshire stock was worth about $12 billion (about $25.3 billion today with inflation). In the three decades since, Buffett’s net worth has skyrocketed as Berkshire’s stock price has grown nearly 30-fold.
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