When it comes to her finances, Leah Messer admits that she is down.
But the veteran Teen Mom star wants to make one thing clear:
She is anything but out.
Earlier this week, we learned that Messer owes over $700,000 in debt, as she’s been hit with a new tax lien by the IRS for not paying what she owes to the government.
YIKES, huh??
The new lien is in the amount of $290,297, a result of unpaid federal taxes for the years 2018, 2020 and 2021; it brings the total amount Messer owes to about $780,000.
What gives?
How is this possible?!?
“I have worked with many different accountants over the years,” Messer now explains to In Touch Weekly.
“At first, I was filing and paying more than I was making and then I was paying people that had me stall while ‘they handled the tax situation.’
“Apparently it’s a long process.
“Then in 2020, the IRS was backed up like the entire world due to COVID. I initially got behind after my divorce from [Jeremy Calvert] and when I went to the rehabilitation facility.”
Messer, who rakes it in these days as an MTV personality/employee, continued to the tabloid:
“I didn’t grow up making the income that I do now, [and] I didn’t have the guidance that a girl at 16 should’ve had to responsibly handle money and make healthy financial planning choices.”
From what we can gather, Messer makes well into the six figures these days.
She’ll make even more if she ever gets her own Teen Mom spinoff.
“I’m figuring this all out on my own and passing the advice to the next generation of women in my family as I learn,” Leah went on to In Touch.
“Let this be an example for everyone out here: take that boring financial class in high school or college.
“Your future self WILL thank you for it!”
Let Messer’s situation be a lesson for everyone out there, in other words.
Leah – who shares twin daughters Ali and Aleeah with ex-husband Corey Simms and daughter Addie with second ex-husband Jeremy – went on to say that she shouldn’t be counted out as she is on the path to clearing her debt.
She concluded:
“This past year I have connected with an amazing accountant and tax attorney that is seeing me through this.
“My hope in the future is to bring awareness and the same wisdom that I’ve gathered over the past year to my platform.
“When you know better, DO better. This will be rectified sooner than later!
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