Longtime Teen Mom star Leah Messer is facing some financial woes after it’s been revealed that she owes nearly $800,000 in unpaid taxes.
As Monsters and Critics reported, Leah has been in tax debt for years. In 2020, the 31-year-old MTV star admitted that she was a bit too generous with her cash flow, giving it to friends and family members, which eventually came back to bite her.
Now, Leah is facing even more debt after In Touch reported that she was recently hit with a new $290,000 lien, meaning she now owes more than $779,147.46 to the federal government.
After news broke of Leah’s debt, she spoke with the outlet about her plan to pay it off.
On Friday, June 2, Leah told In Touch, “I have worked with many different accountants over the years. 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.”
Leah added that in 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, things got backed up. And she says she began to “get behind” following her divorce from her second husband, Jeremy Calvert, and after checking herself into rehab for her drug addiction.
Leah Messer is working with accountants and attorneys to settle her tax debt: ‘Let this be an example’
Admittedly, Leah says during her childhood, she didn’t make the income she does now, and she lacked the proper guidance that “a girl at 16 should’ve had to responsibly handle money and make healthy financial planning choices.”
Ultimately, Leah takes responsibility and will figure everything out “on her own” and pass her advice to the next generation of women in her family.
“Let this be an example for everyone out here: take that boring financial class in high school or college,” Leah shared. “Your future self WILL thank you for it!”
Meanwhile, Leah has connected with an “amazing” accountant and a tax attorney who she says will help her rectify the issue “sooner than later.”
According to records obtained by In Touch, Leah has a total of six liens totaling $779,147.46. Per the West Virginia County Clerk’s Office, the liens were filed in 2014, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023.
How does Leah earn a living outside of the Teen Mom franchise?
So how is Leah earning an income to settle her debt? In addition to filming for Teen Mom — she’s appeared on Teen Mom 2 as well as the spinoffs Family Reunion and The Next Chapter — Leah has added social media influencer to her resume.
Leah has promoted several brands on Instagram and TikTok, including Spa Luxetique, Get Into the Limelight self-tanner, and Casetify
In 2021, Leah announced that she was working on a career in real estate, but it seems she’s changed her mind. She shared a since-deleted post on Instagram, announcing that she had completed the final for her real estate courses and was preparing for the final state exams, but never followed up with her fans.
Shortly before hinting at a real estate career, Leah had teased a project with her former BFF, Kailyn Lowry. However, the project never came to fruition, and Leah and Kailyn are no longer friends.
Teen Mom: The Next Chapter is currently on hiatus.