Before closing on their sprawling Hill Country ranch in Texas, James Van Der Beek and his wife, Kimberly, were quietly dealing with a significant federal tax debt.
The former “Dawson’s Creek” star and his wife faced a federal tax lien in November 2021, stemming from unpaid taxes from previous years.
IRS records cited by TMZ show the couple owed $95,438.31 for 2017 and $173,890.31 for 2019, totaling $269,328.62. The debt was later fully paid, and the lien was released in April 2022.
James Van Der Beek with his wife Kimberly and their six children faced financial challenges years before his death on February 11 at age 48, following a two-year battle with colorectal cancer.
In the months leading up to his passing, Van Der Beek made a major move: purchasing the 36-acre Texas ranch his family had been leasing since relocating from Los Angeles in 2020.
Property records reviewed by Realtor.com show the estate sold for $4.76 million in an off-market deal on January 9, completed through an LLC managed by a California attorney. The Spicewood property features a main residence, multiple guest cabins, a pool, and scenic river views.
The Post could not independently verify current ownership through property records.
A representative told People magazine that “James secured the down payment for the Texas ranch for the family with the help of friends through a trust, allowing them to move from renting to owning.”
