If you are like me and figured out the W-4 for you and your spouse at the end of last year, hoping to break even or get a little return this year, but only to see a minus in front of your tax refund when you completed your taxes, either you shouted a few new cuss words or broke open that bottle of bourbon that you were saving for a special occasion. Owing at tax time is a tough pill to swallow. It could ruin plans of paying off that credit card that you have been trying to get rid of, or spoils plans for that vacation you wanted to take this year. Whatever the money was planned for and no matter how much you owe, compared to some of these celebrities, it is pocket change. To try and make you feel better, here are some of the top celebrities with back taxes owed.
Nicolas Cage – you wonder why you see so many of his movies on Netflix that you have never heard of? Well you try paying off a $6.2 million tax lien when you have spent your entire fortune on unnecessary items such as exotic pets, cars, and not joking, shrunken heads.
Martin Scorsese – not only needing Leonardo DiCaprio in his movies, he may also need his accountant as he faced a $2.85 million tax lien in 2011, that he paid and deemed a mistake, however he also had problems in the early 2000’s, facing three liens totaling almost $2 million.
O.J. Simpson – as if he does not have enough problems already, although he is behind bars for 30 years, it does not stop the tax bills from adding up to $500,000. That is not including the $33 million he owes the families of the ex-wife and friend granted in a civil suit, although he was found not guilty in the famous criminal trial.
Wesley Snipes – even offering the judge three checks for $5 million as payment towards his back taxes and Denzel Washington and Woody Harrelson vouching for him in the court was not enough and served three years behind bars for failing to file federal income tax returns.
R.Kelly – although he paid back $3.6 million from back taxes dating back to nearly eight years, the “Trapped in the Closet” singer still owes almost $5 million, and he also added a huge financial burden when he stopped paying on his $3.5 million mortgage and was actioned off for a fraction of the price.
Leave a Reply