Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra have found themselves with a serious legal and financial issue to surmount. The Teen Mom OG couple was revealed to be in significant debt to the Internal Revenue Service, owing more than $800,000 in taxes to the government, according to legal documents obtained by PEOPLE.
The MTV couple, which first appeared on 16 and Pregnant before joining Teen Mom OG at its inception in 2009, has two children — Novalee Reign, 5, and Vaeda Luma, 1. (The pair also welcomed their first child, Carly, 10 years ago during the first season of the MTV hit reality show about teenage mothers, and placed her for adoption). With so much television experience under their belt, Teen Mom fans were shocked to learn just how far behind the couple has gotten with their taxes, weighing in on social media about the shocking story. Keep scrolling to read their reactions and learn more about the reality personality’s financial issues.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Debt Details
According to tax documents, the Teen Mom OG couple was hit with a federal tax lien on Nov. 19 for $535,010 in regards to the 2016 and 2017 tax seasons. The next month, they had another $321,789 lien leveled against them for the 2018 year — bringing them to a lump sum of $856,799 in unpaid taxes.
While the total of $856,799 that they owe in tax debt remains unpaid, Lowell paid off a state tax lien of $6,001 earlier this year. The couple has yet to comment publicly on their financial troubles.
“Set for Life”
The news of their financial difficulties comes just weeks after Baltierra claimed his children were “set for life” financially during a March 30 appearance on The Awesome Dad Show podcast.
“As far as getting compensated for the show, my kids are set for life, financially. College is paid for and that was mine and Catelynn’s main thing,” he said at the time. “Each of our children has trust funds that money goes into and they can’t touch. …I have so much confidence and peace in how we’re raising my children. They will be humble and will know the sacrifices we made.”
‘Smh’
Teen Mom fans were disappointed in the couple for what they saw as their extravagant use of money when they had such a major tax lien leveled against them.
But we can jet off the Hawaii, run off to save Amber, buy homes and horses, support Butch in rehab and Ty’s sister who destroyed his home as well as bail out friends from jail? Smh. Someone should have paid a professional and saved for their tax bill.
— NOT PC RN 🎩🎩💛🖤 (@not_PC_RN) April 15, 2020
I hope they got some cash sitting around somewhere bc that’s the only way they’re getting out of this without going to jail.
— Reality TV Stunt Queen (@sheilanmiller) April 15, 2020
‘Complete Fools’
Others chastised the couple for allowing things to get this bad without consulting a professional and setting money aside for their annual taxes.
This is a huge amount. They’re complete fools. The IRS always gets their money
— Reality TV Stunt Queen (@sheilanmiller) April 15, 2020
That —is a lot of dollars.
— Michelle Milewski (@MichelleAMilew) April 15, 2020
I own a teeny tiny consultant business and I put half of my earnings aside for taxes. Anything leftover I’ll put towards the business.
‘Easy Mistake’
And while still others called the couple “liars” for seemingly not being forthcoming about their financial status, others sympathized with them, saying fame at such a young age has typically not lent itself to prudent money sense.
Liars.I don’t believe for ONE SEC they’ve saved for the kids future as they https://t.co/ouaOSdbuSE me 1 person in the world w/3 federal tax liens whose“kids are set up 4life.”Just more lies. I’m sure by “set up for life”they mean they have a HUGE piggy bank filled in the attic.
— Mere- JE’s New PR Rep😜👁👁 (@MereMer34723240) April 15, 2020
16 year old kids don’t know they’re an independent contractor and have to figure out their own tax stuff. Obviously neither had good parental role models to sit them down and walk them through their finances and taxes. They’re adults now but still. Easy mistake for young stars.
— Chels🖤☄️ (@chelslynnx0) April 15, 2020
No stranger to controversy
The couple recently was subject to rumors that Baltierra had been unfaithful to his wife, which Lowell shut down in an interview with Us Weekly last month. “Tyler and I are together all day every day! For people to think that he cheats is ridiculous and you obviously don’t know his character because he would never be able to cheat and not tell me. It would drive him insane,” the reality personality said at the time. “Obviously this isn’t the first time cheating rumors have popped up but now it’s gone to the level of being with his Instagram followers? Please!”
Shutting Them Down
She added of people criticizing them as a family, “I honestly think that people just have a hard time believing in our relationship.”
“I feel like they need to try and stir up drama in some ways. Doesn’t anyone think that if this was really happening there would be someone running to the tabloids with proof and would’ve been outed by now?” she continued “We’re happy and these trolls with no lives sitting behind computer screens and phone screens have nothing better to do than try to stir the pot. Keep stirring, though, because this pot is very strong and won’t collapse.”
