Campaign: Melissa Gilbert Will Pay Off Tax Liens by 2024

Former child star Melissa Gilbert tackled her first political challenge as a Michigan congressional candidate this week.

The actress, who announced Monday she will run as a Democrat for Michigan’s 8th District seat, will pay more than $470,000 in tax liens by 2024, according to a Detroit Free Press report.

»Via the Detroit Free Press

Gilbert’s campaign tried to defuse the situation and issued the following statement:

“Melissa was caught in a perfect storm of financial difficulty, which is why she initiated an honest conversation with the IRS. Together they set up a payment plan that will allow her to pay back her federal taxes over approximately 8 1/2 years and her California taxes over approximately 46 months.”

The liens were filed by the IRS and the State of California and go as far back as 2005, the report stated. The campaign for US Rep. Mike Bishop, the Republican 8th District incumbent, has already publicly questioned the liens, claiming they don’t paint a flattering picture of Gilbert as a legislator, the report added.

»RELATED: Actress Melissa Gilbert Announces Congressional Run

Actress Melissa Gilbert, the “Little House on the Prairie” star who this week announced her candidacy for a Michigan congressional seat next year, expects to pay off more than $470,000 in federal and state tax liens by 2024, her campaign told the Free Press on Tuesday.

While the campaign declined to discuss in more detail the circumstances behind the tax liens filed by the IRS and the state of California against her, it provided some specifics about the total amount she owes and her schedule for paying it off.