Even our pal Bill Gates took a hit, Forbes’ list reports, with his worth dropping a full $18 billion to $40 billion total. Even with the loss, though, Gates moved back into the top spot he had previously lost, as previous richest man Warren Buffett suffered a substantial slide of his own: Buffett lost $25 billion, Forbes says, as his Berkshire Hathaway shares fell almost 50 percent over the past year.

So cue the Idol music, money fans: Here’s your top 12(ish) and their current net worth, according to Forbes’ rich list of billionaires in 2009.

Forbes Billionaires 2009

1. Bill Gates — $40 billion

2. Warren Buffett — $37 billion

3. Carlos Slim Helu and family — $35 billion

4. Lawrence Ellison — $22.5 billion

5. Ingvar Kamprad and family — $22 billion

6. Karl Albrecht — $21.5 billion

7. Mukesh Ambani — $19.5 billion

8. Lakshmi Mittal — $19.3 billion

9. Theo Albrecht — $18.8 billion

10. Amancio Ortega — $18.3 billion

11. Jim Walton — $17.8 billion

12 (tie). Alice Walton — $17.6 billion

12 (tie). Christy Walton and family — $17.6 billion

12 (tie). S. Robson Walton — $17.6 billion

Read the full list here.

Forbes Rich List 2009: Even Bill Gates Took a Hit is a post from: The Inquisitr