Jasmine Guy got a lot of stuff in her divorce, including a huge tax debt.

TMZ.com reports that the actress, best known for her role as Whitley Gilbert on “A Different World,” has had to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Divorce papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court show that she owes $123,503.64 in back taxes, and that total doesn’t include interest.

Jasmine’s ex-husband, Terrence Mitchell Duckett, is on the hook for $94,354.71, plus interest.

Fortunately, Jasmine hasn’t been left high and dry since she just booked a part on the CW’s new series, “Vampire Diaries.” She and Terrence had been married for 11 years before they decided to split; she has full custody of their daughter.



http://www.s2smagazine.com/node/1680
[Edited 9/18/09 10:13am]

I wish Whitley well.

aww man that's terrible. A Different World is my all time favorite comedy show. Why it hasn't been released to DVD yet is beyond me Well I think the first season had been released, but I don't want that piece of scrap. The show was the shit when Lisa Bonet left!!!

missfee said:

Season 2 is on it's way.

daPrettyman said:

yeah that's what I'm talking about, I need all the seasons except for season 1!!!! When is season 2 coming out? Shall I look this up on Amazon????

Why do so many celebrities have tax troubles? Damn, pay the shit when you're supposed to!!!!!

missfee said:

There is no date listed on any of the sites I checked.

daPrettyman said:

Yeah there were no dates on the sites I checked either... Thanks for looking for me though.

missfee said:

No problem.

uPtoWnNY said:

Exactly!

she spoke often at AA meetings .. always liked hearin n seeing her .. sucha babe.

I paid my tax but the "gub'mint" be trying to fuck with your shit. Last year they claimed I owed them x $$ from an online screwup and were quick to take it out of my tax refund....but they still owe ME x$$ for years that they can't seem to get back to me. Escandalo!

Doesn't Whitley have rich parents?

dreamfactory313 said:

In the show she did. But Jasmine don't.

uPtoWnNY said:

Celebrity taxes are MAD tangled. That, and the people around you always trying to take your money and your own accountants stealing from you.

Just look at what happened to Richard Pryor, Willie Nelson, and Dane Cook.

Alasseon said:

Happened to a million celebrities and then when their money runs low, people always blame it on the celebrities' spending habits.

Timmy84 said:

Whatever happen to her royalties as an actress AND recording artist?

uPtoWnNY said:

Judge much?

Unless you're actually in that person's accounting records walking their tax walk, you don't know what the government is trying to seize as taxable income for these people. Take it from someone who knows tax troubles intimately, you can be taxed on any manner of things that you didn't ven know you had to declare, and the tax office shows up 5 years later wanting dough. It's not as simple as as "pay that shit when you're supposed to"

Ottensen said:

That's so true and generally speaking, creative types are usually not the most practical minded people. When it comes to anything business related I'm pretty pathetic beyond the very basics. The thing is, I won't hesitate to ask for help when I need to, but I wonder if pride prevents some celebs from doing the same? Not to mention they probably have a hard time finding advisors they can trust.

I think Jazzy will probably come out okay in the end.

TonyVanDam said:

I'm sure she didn't make that much as a recording artist. However, this whole thing sounds more like they are just trying to clear their debt. Sounds like most of it is her husband's.

TonyVanDam said:

Her one album didn't even go gold and I don't think she wrote anything.

Timmy84 said:

She co-wrote only one song, "Everybody Knows My Name". It was not even a single.

She also has a songwriting credit for a song she did in a broadway play.

This sounds more like a MC Hammer bankruptcy than a "broke" one. Her financial people are probably telling her to do this to wipe out her debt and get things back on track.

I've been saying this for years. There needs to be an independent financial accounting agency that artists can turn to, to handle all of their finances.

You would need lawyers to write and review contracts, and accountants to monitor all of the money coming in and out.

How did Prince get to the brink of bankruptcy in the early 90's?

How did TLC earn almost nothing from all of the records they sold?

How did Joe Louis, M. Ali, and Mike Tyson all end up almost broke?

Yes, some of the these people overspent, but when they decide to buy a mansion, how come no one says to them they have to pay to maintain that property and that there are property taxes they must pay, even if they pay for the house in full?

How come no one tells them how much it will cost them to do a concert in London versus doing a concert in New York City?

If an ordinary person can get into hot water with their simple tax returns, imagine when you have income coming from record sales, record royalties, commercials, concerts, movies, merchandise sales, etc. Most people, even an artist with a Master's in Finance, won't be able to keep track of how much money comes in. How can they know what to declare and not declare on their taxes?

If you're an actor on a television show, you have a regular check coming in. When you no longer have a regular gig, it's much easier to not be able to make a mortgage payment.

That's why you see folks flocking to the reality shows--. Once you get behind on your taxes, you owe the principal and THEN you have to pay interest AND penalties.

The IRS is no joke.

seriously? it took her til 2009 for her to go broke? good for her to have last this long..

fingertips said:

isn't this some sort of aa privacy violation?