This week, TMZ reported that the late Aretha Franklin still owed $6.3 million in back taxes dating from 2012 to 2018, in addition to $1.5 million in penalties. Since then, Franklin's estate has asserted that they have paid down at least $3 million of this debt to the IRS since the Queen of Soul's passing
"We have a tax attorney. All of her returns have been filed," said Attorney David Bennet, a representative of Franklin's estate. "We have disputes with the IRS regarding what they claim was income. We claim its double-dipping income because they don't understand how the business works."
He went on to add that Franklin covered many expenses when she toured, which raised red flags with the IRS.
"She had to pay for transportation, hotel rooms, backup singers, musicians. When she did that the IRS was questioning the returns she filed," Bennett said. "We're going through audits. Returns were filed as timely as we could get them filed."
The IRS is only one entity attempting to clear its books. Back in October, a former attorney filed documents that request $54,000 in bills from 2012 while another publishing company is attempting to receive $163,000 in royalties for Franklin's 1973 "Angel."
In August, Aretha Franklin passed away in her hometown of Detroit after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.