Brewers’ slugger hit with IRS lien

June 19, 2008

What is it about rich athletes and taxes? Can’t these guys afford to hire good financial planners and tax advisers?

Prince_fielder_2
Prince Fielder, first baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers and son of another renowned long-ball hitter Cecil Fielder, allegedly owes the IRS $409,149 in federal income taxes.

According to the Detroit News’ Tax Watchdog blog, federal tax collectors filed a lien against the 24-year-old major leaguer on Oct. 6, 2005, for unpaid income taxes.

The lien, which shows Fielder’s primary residence in Melbourne, Fla., lists the owed income as being earned in 2003. That’s the year after the younger Fielder signed his first Major League Baseball contract and received a $2.4 million signing bonus as the 2002 top draft pick.

The Brewers were in Toronto playing the Blue Jays when the tax lien news surfaced. The CBC reports that Fielder declined to comment on the matter.

The team is taking a similar tight-lipped approach. with Brewers general manager Doug Melvin also not talking and manager Ned Yost saying only, "That’s nobody’s business but his. That has nothing to do with baseball."

Fielder had 50 home runs last season, leading the National League in
that category. He also drove in 119 runs. In light of those numbers,
Fielder tried to negotiate a long-term deal with Milwaukee, but the two
sides failed to reach an agreement.

Fielder is now playing under a
one-year deal worth $670,000. He will be eligible for salary
arbitration next year.

For his sake, I hope the young man gets a new financial team to help out with that new deal and its associated tax responsibilities.

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Tax Season 2026 Continues!

We made it. Tax Day 2025 is finally over. For most of us. When the filing season started on Jan. 26, millions who were expecting refunds filed immediately. Most of us got our returns to the Internal Revenue Service by April 15. But plenty of taxpayers also got extensions. They are looking at an Oct. 15 filing deadline.

Those procrastinating filers aren’t a problem. In fact, the IRS appreciates taxpayers who take time to fill out their 1040 forms correctly. It also is grateful that tax submissions are spread out a bit, especially now that the IRS is a leaner agency. Processing returns is easier when they arrive throughout the year instead of in massive bunches.

But enough about Uncle Sam’s tax collection issues. The focus now is on all y’all who filed for extensions, giving you another six months to complete your return. Since your new mid-October due date will be here before you know it, let’s get started now on meeting it.

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Comments

Jan Dillaha

18 years ago

Their salaries are a reflection of their intense focus on what they do well. My experience is that there is always some idiot in the wings telling them they can save money some way that you and I know will land them in trouble.
Having been on the front line of that sort of a conversation, it is nearly impossible for these people to know who to believe. The idea of saving money on taxes appeals to all of us.

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Brewers’ slugger hit with IRS lien

Jan Dillaha