Beyoncé files petition in response to US gov’t claim that she owes Ksh361M in unpaid tax
By Agencies, K24 Digital On Mon, 1 May, 2023 12:27 | 2 mins read
Beyoncé has filed a petition challenging a claim made by the US federal tax office that she owes $2.7 million/Ksh361 million in unpaid tax and penalties.
The filing argues that several errors were made in the determinations of the singer’s 2018 and 2019 tax returns.
According to the petition addressed to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which was seen by Forbes, Beyoncé owes $805,850/Ksh107 million in additional tax for 2018, along with $161,170/Ksh21.5 million in penalties. She also allegedly owes $1,442,747/Ksh193 million in 2019, as well as $288,549.40/Ksh38.6 million in penalties.
However, Beyoncé has argued that the IRS overlooked millions of dollars in charitable donations she made during those two years, including an $868,766/Ksh116 million contribution to an undisclosed charity in 2018. The petition requests that any tax penalties she incurs should be waived since she “has acted reasonably and in good faith.”
The petition also alleged that the IRS supposedly disallowed some of Beyoncé’s business income deductions, utilities, insurance, management fees, legal services and professional services for 2018 and 2019, respectively.
The petition was filed exclusively in Beyoncé’s name and doesn’t mention her husband Jay-Z.
“We are working with the IRS and anticipate that the matter will be resolved shortly,” her lawyer, Michael C. Cohen, told Page Six.
Last month, reports emerged that Beyoncé was reportedly set to end her creative partnership with Adidas due to “major creative differences” between her clothing line, Ivy Park, and the activewear giant. The singer debuted Ivy Park in 2016, as a joint venture with Sir Philip Green of Topshop.
Elsewhere, she will embark on her upcoming ‘Renaissance’ world tour later this year, which kicks off in Europe throughout May, before making its way through to North America.
Meanwhile, Beyoncé recently made history by becoming the most-awarded artist in Grammys history. Now with 32 wins under her belt, the star surpassed the record of 31 Grammys held by classical musician Georg Solti when she won the award for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for ‘Renaissance’.
