Celebrities are in the public eye all
the time. They even have a devoted group of people who try to take
photos of them in compromising positions just to prove they're not
perfect and bulletproof. There's also another eye that these people
are scrutinized under: Uncle Sam's. These are the top five highest
tax debts I could find that are celebrities.
5.Marc Anthony
I don't know which thing Marc Anthony
is more famous for: being a top-selling international salsa artist,
or being the ex-husband of Jennifer Lopez for a second time.
Regardless, he owed a staggering total of $5.9 million dollars. This
was not all one lump sum, but was compiled from a $1.8 million dollar
bill held against his home in N.Y. From the state, a separate bill
from the Internal Revenue Service for the same property at $1.6
million, and finally the $2.5 million he owed 5 years ago for back
taxes from not filing income tax returns.
4.Nas
The multi-platinum artist who's most
successful album Illmatic is ranked 129 in the overall greatest album
chart can also rank high in owing unpaid taxes. The artist owes $6
million and because he was unable to pay the debt, the IRS garnishes
his wages. Every album that you buy of his now will go towards that debt. That would really lower my
drive to put out new music, but how else do you pay it off? It would
take a long time for sure working at a fast food restaurant.
3.Nicolas Cage
Regardless of if you think Nicolas Cage
is a good actor or not, his numbers do not lie. He has grossed over
$2 billion dollars from his movies. That much money I would say is
worth Sorcerer's Apprentice and Ghost Rider and every other bad movie
he's done, since even those are still successful. He should have paid
his taxes though, unfortunately. His debt with the I.R.S. from not
paying his taxes became a ginormous $13 million dollars. This was
paid back by auctioning “a few” of his homes. I'm sure he's not
that worried, since he had about 15 before some were auctioned off. I
sure wish I could say, “Ohh, I owe $13 million dollars in taxes?
Here, just auction off a few of my homes, and keep the change...”
2.Willie Nelson
This country singer who has written
more than 2,500 songs and released close to 300 albums. That's quite
a lengthy resume, and when his 1990 tax troubles were brought out
into light, they shined to the tune of $16.7 million dollars! He
allegedly settled for $6 million but never paid the amount. This
caused all his possessions to be put into auctions. He later sued
Price Waterhouse, claiming that they put his tax money in illegal tax
shelters. This lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount. One
possession he hid until his tax debt was settled in 1993 was his
signature-covered original Martin N-20 Classical Guitar which he
named Trigger.
1.Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes, as of December 9, 2010,
the vampire hunter, Blade, will be serving 3 years in the McKean
Federal Correctional Instition. His charge was failure to file
federal income taxes for 3 years. The reason I see him as the one
paying the biggest debt is not because of the amount he owes the
government(which through my research I have found that no one really
knows but Uncle Sam.) I have chosen him because he is serving time.
No amount of money can compensate for time, because even though money
can be earned and collected again, time is never refunded. It is a
grim reminder that the ever-ticking clock is the worst punishment
anyone can be dealt, because all the money in the world will never
give this man his 3 years back with his family, friends and career. I
wish the best for Mr. Snipes and his family.
All these people have been dealt a blow
by the I.R.S. and our government. Their fame didn't save them, and
they had to pay like normal citizens. Never forget that we should pay
our taxes, no matter how much it pains us, even though it may not
seem fair or just to us. Be sure to make certain your taxes are taken
care of and in good hands, because when it comes down to it, you'll
have to answer for your own tax debt.
When
you file your online tax
return, make sure it is with a reputable company, like
Onlinetaxpros.com. We
make it easy to file taxes
online and look forward to helping you e-file
your income taxes! Leave a comment if you know of any other celebrities with bigger tax debts or just want to give your opinion. Thanks for reading!
