--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just look at that Forbes 400. Takes a…" description: "\"Just look at that Forbes 400. Takes a billion three to get on the Forbes 400 this year. And the aggregate wealth is just staggering. And those people a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fd/warren-buffett-183_average_just-look-at-that-forbes-400-takes-a-bil_1970232.png" --- # Just look at that Forbes 400. Takes a billion three to get… ![“Just look at that Forbes 400. Takes a billion three to get on the Forbes 400 this year. And the aggregate wealth is just staggering. And those people are paying less percentage of their total income to the federal government than their receptionists are. [...] I'll bet a million dollars against…” quote by Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fd/warren-buffett-183_average_just-look-at-that-forbes-400-takes-a-bil_1970232.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fd/warren-buffett-183_average_just-look-at-that-forbes-400-takes-a-bil_1970232.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fd/warren-buffett-183_average_just-look-at-that-forbes-400-takes-a-bil_1970232.png) > “Just look at that Forbes 400. Takes a billion three to get on the Forbes 400 this year. And the aggregate wealth is just staggering. And those people are paying less percentage of their total income to the federal government than their receptionists are. \[...\] I'll bet a million dollars against any member of the Forbes 400 who challenges - me that the average for the Forbes 400 will be less than the average of their receptionists.” [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The richest pay a lower tax rate than many low‑income workers, highlighting systemic inequality. **In simple terms:** Rich pay less tax proportionally than workers. Key Takeaway Advocate for fairer tax policies. Themes wealth inequality tax policy economic disparity Mood critical concerned Type economic political When to use this quote - political debate - public finance - social justice - investment strategy Key Concepts progressive taxation wealth concentration Questions to Reflect On - What reforms could reduce the gap? - How does tax policy affect society? A Different Perspective Changing tax law is politically complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Federal government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federal-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) [Million dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/million-dollars/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Percentages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percentages/) [Receptionists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/receptionists/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [ Ladies, \[motherhood\] is a full-time job. Do not kid yourself that you can be a dental receptionist and a mother; that you can be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/ladies-motherhood-is-a-full-time-job-do-not-kid-yourself-that-you-can/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [Be good, kind, and friendly to the receptionist. She's had a hard day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-pidgeon/be-good-kind-and-friendly-to-the-receptionist-she-s-had-a-hard-day/) [Rebecca Pidgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-pidgeon/) > [Kami said, "I want you to go in there and vamp that receptionist." "What?" Ash said blankly. "You know," Kami said. 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It's too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/my-goal-was-to-do-anything-that-would-lead-to-a-job-i-know-that/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [I went to a radio station on Long Island in 1982, and thank goodness for me, it was so new that there was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/i-went-to-a-radio-station-on-long-island-in-1982-and-thank-goodness/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [You only get one chance to make a good first impression, and yours may be in the hands of the receptionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/you-only-get-one-chance-to-make-a-good-first-impression-and-yours-may/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Along the way, I've worked as a waitress, I've done phone surveys, and worked as a receptionist, and for the last twenty years I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-dean/along-the-way-i-ve-worked-as-a-waitress-i-ve-done-phone-surveys-and/) [Debra Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-dean/) > [People who came to the clinics or came to the fundraiser knew what was happening in their state but didn't realize the profundity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-winstead/people-who-came-to-the-clinics-or-came-to-the-fundraiser-knew-what/) [Lizz Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-winstead/) > [Most people who work at home find they do not have the benefit of receptionists who serve as personal guards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/most-people-who-work-at-home-find-they-do-not-have-the-benefit-of/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [The receptionist looked us over, then went back to typing something incredibly urgent—like her résumé́ for another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/the-receptionist-looked-us-over-then-went-back-to-typing-something/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [I got my first job the old-fashioned way: I took an elevator to the top floor of many buildings and walked down floor by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-patricof/i-got-my-first-job-the-old-fashioned-way-i-took-an-elevator-to-the/) [Alan Patricof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-patricof/) > [I started out as a receptionist. I typed, I filed, I answered the phones for a little nine-person company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-started-out-as-a-receptionist-i-typed-i-filed-i-answered-the-phones/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [Screening telephone calls with a receptionist or the humbler answering machine is not a dishonorable thing to do. The warmest people in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/screening-telephone-calls-with-a-receptionist-or-the-humbler/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## More by Warren Buffett > [To invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. 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