James Van Der Beek Was Facing a $269K IRS Debt Years Before His Cancer Diagnosis

James Van Der Beek’s financial troubles might have been more complicated than fans ever realized, despite his successful career.

The Dawson’s Creek star, who passed away on February 11 at the age of 48 from colorectal cancer, struggled to pay his taxes long before his devastating diagnosis. According to TMZ, James had a “massive six-figure tax debt” that he dealt with beginning in 2017. He and his wife, Kimberly, were eventually hit with a lien in November 2021 for unpaid taxes for a total of $269,328.62 — $95,438.31 for 2017, and $173,890.31 in 2019.

The couple was released from the lien in April 2022 after the tax debt was paid in full, but it shows how the ups and downs of an actor’s life can greatly impact their finances. James’ last series regular role was on CSI: Cyber, which ran from 2015 to 2016.

He voiced the role of Boris in the animated series, Vampirina, and plays a supporting character in the upcoming Legally Blonde prequel, Elle, but his Dawson’s Creek level of success was not matched in the later part of his career. It’s probably why he was a surprising casting on Season 28 of Dancing With the Stars; it was a lucrative offer when he needed it — and he was a graceful dancer to boot!

There’s been some backlash to the family’s GoFundMe campaign to support Kimberly and their six children: Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel Leah, 12, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 4, after his death. As of February 17, the account has raised over $2.679 million. In addition, James’ friends donated the down payment on his $4.76 million Austin, Texas, ranch so his family would have a place to live after his death. They rented the same property from 2020 to 2025.

Still, the medical debt that James’ cancer likely incurred will be a hefty burden for his family. To defray some of the costs of his treatment, he sold off Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues memorabilia in December 2025.

James admitted to Today in 2012 that his Dawson’s Creek contract for residuals didn’t carry him far because it was on the now-defunct network, The WB. “There was no residual money,” he said. “I was 20. It was a bad contract. I saw almost nothing from that.”

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