One of the most mind-bending parts of Walt’s fortune is that he paid zero taxes on it. The IRS never got a cut. So while a regular person making $80 million would lose about 40% to Uncle Sam, Walt kept every last dirty dollar. That’s why he could buy a car wash without worrying about quarterly returns.
But here’s the real question: was it worth it? Sure, he made more than the GDP of some small countries, but he also lost his family, his health, and his soul. Money can buy a lot of things, but it can’t buy a sunset in New Mexico without a murder backstory.
