2. Author
UrbanetteCase Study: J.K. Rowling
Country of Citizenship: United Kingdom
Net Worth: $1.2 billion (£965 million)
A single mum who barely made ends meet each month, Rowling came up with a story about a boy wizard on a crowded train in 1990. She completed the manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1995 and, after being rejected by 8 other publishers, it was finally picked up by Bloomsbury in 1997.
An estimated $160 million (£128.7 million) in charity giving, combined with Britain’s high tax rates, briefly caused Rowling to lose her billionaire status in 2012. The New York Times, though, recently ran a story estimating her fortune to be worth $1.2 billion after the success of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themand a series of stage productions.