“…The billionaires on Forbes’ 2017 ranking of the 400 richest people in America, (“The Forbes 400” p. 86 of the November 14, 2017 Special Issue of Forbes magazine), have a record-breaking, combined total net worth of $2.7 trillion, up from $2.4 trillion in 2016. The minimum net worth now required to be counted among the very richest Americans hit a record high of $2 billion, up from $1.7 billion in 2015 and 2016. There were 169 billionaires who did not make the cut.  However, even at these new heights, there were 22 newcomers to this year’s list. The average net worth of a Forbes 400 member hit $6.7 billion, also a record high, up from $6 billion last year. “America’s richest are richer than ever. The minimum net worth to make the Forbes list of 400 wealthiest Americans is now a record $2 billion,” said Luisa Kroll and Kerry Dolan, assistant managing editors of wealth at Forbes Media. “But even at these new heights, entrepreneurs are breaking into the ranks for the first time as they mint fortunes in everything from Netflix and telecom to vodka and fishing.”