Rich, famous and tussling with the taxman

Celebrity tax troubles

When celebrities come up short on their taxes, the world takes notice.

Headlines that proclaim a star's tax troubles often spark a firestorm of public scorn. How dare our heroes not pay their fair share when their cup runneth over!

Americans owe an astounding $290 billion in back taxes, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Typically, filing a tax lien on the scofflaw's property is the taxman's first step to collect the debt.

These 10 celebrities know the sting of a recent tax lien. Or two. Or three. Some came up short by circumstance, others by design and still others by accident.

Don't hate them because they're rich and famous. Often the dedication to their craft removes them from the tax chores familiar to the rest of us.

That said, by all means, don't follow these stars when it comes to filing your own taxes.