October 29th 2023.
Chris Tucker and the IRS have finally reached a deal on Oct. 23 regarding the actor best known for his roles in the Rush Hour series and The Fifth Element. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tucker will pay $3.6 million to cover back taxes he incurred in 2002, 2006, 2008, and 2010. The deal represents a good bargain for Tucker, as the IRS initially requested he pay $9.6 million.
This is not the first time Tucker has been in discussions with the IRS, in 2010, 2011, and 2016 he began talks to pay back his debt in $25,000 to $50,000 a year installments over a 10-year period. However, the talks broke down once it was understood that Tucker would not be able to pay off his balance before the deadline.
In 2021, USA Today reported that Tucker was sued by the IRS to pay his back taxes dating back to 2002 plus tax penalties and interest amounting to $9.6 million. According to the lawsuit, “Despite notice and demand for payment of the assessments set forth above, Mr. Tucker has neglected, refused, or failed to fully pay the assessments against him.”
It's reported that many of the tax years Tucker faced penalties for coincided with his roles in Rush Hour 2 and Rush Hour 3. According to Moneymade, Tucker is now worth an estimated $5 million after being compensated $20 million for Rush Hour 2 and $25 million plus a 20% cut of the film’s earnings for Rush Hour 3. That film went on to make in excess of $258 million which would have netted Tucker somewhere around $63 million that year.
Unfortunately, Tucker’s net worth plummeted after a series of tax problems, including the tax lawsuit the IRS filed in 2021. Tucker even poked fun at the bad tax advice he received in a 2019 stand-up comedy special for Netflix titled Netflix Is A Joke, something he told the IRS was the case while they were investigating him.
Tucker has indicated an interest in reprising his role as Special Agent James Carter for a fourth installment of the Rush Hour franchise and in December 2022, his co-star Jackie Chan teased a possible return, telling those in attendance at the Red Sea International Film Festival that he had been in discussions with Warner Brothers.
However, according to Variety, a sequel is most likely not going to happen because the director of the trilogy, Brett Ratner, has been accessed of sexual harassment by several women. Warner Brothers has cut all ties with Ratner as a result of the allegations.
It's clear that Chris Tucker has had a tumultuous relationship with the IRS. After more than 20 years of negotiations and lawsuits, the two have finally reached an agreement for Tucker to pay $3.6 million in back taxes. Although it's not the full amount that the IRS initially requested, it's a far better outcome for Tucker than could have been expected.
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