Tax Relief Blog
IRS has filed $79,000 lien against Gov. Schwarzenegger, records show
SOURCE: Los Angeles Times
A spokesman for the governor says the matter is related to a paperwork discrepancy and has nothing to do with the payment of taxes.
By Michael Rothfeld
Reporting from Sacramento
The Internal Revenue Service has filed a federal tax lien against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for nearly $80,000, public records show.
The lien was filed May 11 at the Los Angeles County recorder’s office for $79,064, according to a record in an electronic database that includes lien filings. The record lists the debtor as Arnold Schwarzenegger and the address as the governor’s home address in Brentwood.
The matter apparently is related to “a minor paperwork tracking discrepancy,” Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said in a statement released Friday afternoon. He said Schwarzenegger is resubmitting information to the IRS and expects the lien to be expunged without penalty.
The lien was first reported Friday by TMZ.com, which posted a copy of a lien document that says it is from the county recorder’s office. That document shows that Schwarzenegger owes $39,047.20 from 2004 and $40,016.80 from 2005.
The document also lists a section of the IRS code that suggests the debt may be penalties for a failure to report certain business transactions.
McLear said the matter had not been brought to Schwarzenegger’s attention until Friday. “The issue is completely unrelated to the payment of taxes, which the governor has paid in full and on time,” the spokesman said.
IRS spokesman Victor Omelczenko said he could not discuss the agency’s dealings with individual taxpayers.
