Warren Buffett's Son Wasn't Raised Like a Billionaire's Kid—He Mowed Lawns and Cleaned Gutters Because 'There Are Jerks With Money and Jerks Without'

Before trust fund babies had Instagram handles and yacht photoshoots, there was Howard Buffett—Warren Buffett's middle child—learning how to clean gutters in Omaha while his father quietly built a financial empire.

This story originally appeared in the Sept. 10, 1990 issue of Fortune, later resurfacing in the 2012 book, "Tap Dancing to Work," edited by Carol Loomis. But even decades later, the lesson hits just as hard: if your last name is Buffett, it doesn't mean you get a free ride. Not even close.

At the time of the interview, Howard was a corn and soybean farmer outside Omaha and had been elected commissioner of Douglas County, Nebraska. Not exactly the kind of job most billionaire heirs are lining up for. But then again, Warren Buffett wasn't your typical billionaire dad.

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With a net worth that's consistently landed him in the top 10 richest people in the world, Warren Buffett runs Berkshire Hathaway, a company known for its massive portfolio and even more massive influence. And yet, the man has always been adamant: his kids would not be handed the keys to the kingdom.

"If you went to the movies, you never knew if he would buy your ticket or not," Howard told Fortune. "His attitude was, everybody pulls his own weight."

That included actual, physical chores. As a kid, Howard spent his weekends doing yardwork and unclogging gutters. He and his wife believed that responsibility didn't depend on your tax bracket. And Howard carried that same mindset into raising his own son. When a young Howie asked to sit next to Michael Jordan during a visit to Omaha, assuming his last name came with front-row status, Howard had to break it to him: privilege doesn't equal entitlement.

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And while the money was always technically there, Warren Buffett made it clear it wasn't theirs. He once famously told his daughter to go to the bank for a kitchen renovation loan instead of bankrolling it himself. And when he helped cover college costs for one of his adopted granddaughters, she recalled asking for a futon—only to be told by his secretary, "school expenses only."

Howard, for his part, didn't try to play the "do-you-know-who-my-dad-is" card. In fact, he went out of his way not to. "I felt discouraged from trying," he said of starting his own ventures as a kid. "It seemed nothing I could do would be as successful as what he did. And what I did might reflect badly on him."

Still, Howard made his own lane—and endured plenty of assumptions along the way. "One night at a restaurant, I pulled out my checkbook to pay the bill, and some guy says, ‘Gee, I wish I had that checkbook!' I didn't have the patience to tell him, ‘No, buddy, you really don't.'"

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And then there's the best line of all, the kind you'd expect from a Buffett raised to value decency over dollars: "There are jerks with money and jerks without."

Even back then, Howard was getting bombarded with voicemails—most from people trying to reach his dad. But he kept farming, kept showing up to county meetings, and kept parenting his own kids with the same values.

His son, "Little Howie," once told his mom he didn't think he'd ever be able to afford a share of Berkshire Hathaway stock. He owned 10 shares of Coca-Cola, bought with savings, but even at 6 years old, he already knew: when your last name is Buffett, expectations are sky-high—but handouts aren't part of the deal.

In an era where billionaire offspring are more likely to trend on TikTok than work a real job, Howard Buffett's story is a rare one. He didn't just grow up with money—he grew up learning why it shouldn't change who you are.

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