James Van Der Beek, known for his role as Dawson Leery, passed away last week after a struggle with stage 3 colorectal cancer. Before settling their financial obligations in 2022, he and his wife Kimberly were reportedly burdened with significant tax debt.
The Internal Revenue Service disclosed that the 48-year-old actor, famous for his role in “Dawson’s Creek,” and his wife, a producer, were accountable for $269,328.62 in unpaid taxes from the years 2018 and 2019. This debt led to a tax lien filed against them in late 2021, as reported by TMZ.
The couple, who married in 2010 and have six children between the ages of 4 and 15, managed to clear these financial hurdles by April 2022.
After Van Der Beek’s passing on February 11, a GoFundMe page was launched with an initial goal of $1.5 million to support his family.
By Friday, the fundraiser had surpassed expectations, amassing over $2.2 million. These funds are intended to “cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children’s education,” as the prolonged battle with cancer had depleted the family’s savings. By Monday evening, contributions had exceeded $2.6 million.
In a 2012 interview, the former WB star revealed he received minimal financial benefit from the six-season run of “Dawson’s Creek,” a show that also featured stars like Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson.
“There was no residual money,” Van Der Beek told TODAY.com at the time, blaming “a bad contract.”
Questions about his finances continued in recent days, after Realtor.com reported Friday that on Jan. 9, Van Der Beek and Kimberly bought the $4.76 million Austin-area ranch to which the family relocated in 2020.
Van Der Beek “secured down payment” for the 5,149-square-foot main house, which sits on 36 acres of property, “with the help of friends through a trust so they could shift from rent to mortgage,” his representative told People on Saturday.
“Law & Order” star Mehcad Brooks, who said he was one of the couple’s closest friends, dismissed the news as “fake AF” on Threads, where he criticized the “blind stupidity, meanness and lack of empathy” of a user casting doubt on the family’s financial straits.
The Daily News has reached out to Van Der Beek’s representative.
