J.K. Rowling's charity giving knocks her off Forbes' billionaires list

http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/jk-rowlings-charity-giving-knocks-her-off-forbes-billionaires-list

Tue, Mar 13 2012 at 2:44 PM EST

Author of the 'Harry Potter' series is no longer in the billionaires' club — thanks to simply being an incredible person.

The woman who weaved together the magical world of Harry Potter (netting her an estimated $1.6 million every day), is no longer a part of the billionaires' club. Forbes magazine, which last year recognized J.K. Rowling as the world's first female billionaire novelist, released an updated version of its World's Billionaires list last week with the 46-year-old notably absent.

It's not that the world is no longer is love with all-things Harry Potter (the brand itself is estimated to be worth more than $15 billion), but rather Rowling's charitable giving and taxes that have knocked her back into the millionaires' club.

"New information about Rowlings' estimated $160 million in charitable giving combined with Britain's high tax rates bumped the 'Harry Potter' scribe from our list this year," stated Forbes.

Naturally, none of this likely bothers Rowling, who from the beginning has made giving back a priority for her wealth.

“You have a moral responsibility when you’ve been given far more than you need, to do wise things with it and give intelligently," she said in a past interview.

That giving includes supporting organizations linked to poverty, multiple sclerosis, children's welfare and illiteracy. Three books that she has written for charity — "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," "Quidditch Through the Ages" and "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" — have raised almost $30 million for various initiatives.

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