Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B), Corning Incorporated (GLW), Activision Blizzard, Inc. (ATVI): 15 Surprising Facts to Put Buffett’s Giving Into Perspective

14. Relatedly, Buffett is a firm opponent of repealing the estate tax, which can run upwards of 55% when you include both the federal and state portions. Repealing this tax, Buffett argues, would wrongly pass down the ability to “command the resources of the nation based on heredity rather than merit.” Put another way, he compared it to “choosing the 2020 Olympic team by picking the eldest sons of the gold-medal winners in the 2000 Olympics.”

15. Through The Giving Pledge, which he co-founded with Melinda Gates in 2010, Buffett has so far persuaded 114 other wealthy families and individuals to follow his lead by “giving more than half of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes either during their lifetime or in their will.” Those who have pledged so far include activist investor Bill Ackman, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, Oracle co-founder and CEO Larry Ellison, Netflix‘s Reed Hastings, and noted investor Carl Icahn.

Of course, if you’d like to have the enviable problem of trying to figure out the best way to give away your vast wealth, you’ll need to accumulate it first!

The article 15 Surprising Facts to Put Buffett’s Giving Into Perspective originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Steve Symington.

Fool contributor Steve Symington has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Activision Blizzard, Berkshire Hathaway, Corning, and Netflix and owns shares of Activision Blizzard, Berkshire Hathaway, GLW, Microsoft, Netflix, and Oracle.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.