Melissa Gilbert, the former star of "Little House on the Prairie," owes the federal government $360,000 in income taxes, which she blames on a 2011 divorce, the economy, and her slowed acting career.
Gilbert, 51, moved to Howell, Michigan, in 2013 after marrying actor Timothy Busfield. Her family, which includes two sons, just announced last week that they were moving out of their rented house into a
bigger home in Livingston County, according to the Detroit News.
"Like so many people across the nation, the recession hit me hard," Gilbert told the newspaper in a statement. "That, plus a divorce and a dearth of acting opportunities the last few years, created a perfect storm of financial difficulty for me."
Gilbert divorced television actor Bruce Boxleitner, who starred in
"How the West Was Won," in 2011, reported AccountingToday.com.
"I've set up an installment plan to fully pay off my debt and will continue to work as hard as I can to erase this debt and dig myself out of this hole," Gilbert told the News. "I am absolutely positive that I can do it."
Gilbert has become very involved in the Howell community since her arrival, serving as grand marshal of the city's Fantasy of Lights holiday parade last year with Busfield. She has also spent time talking to high school drama students and appearing at
book signings in downtown shops, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Gilbert made gossip headlines in December when she posted on her blog that she was removing her breast implants. She said at the time that she could not afford the $38,000 she was told it would initially cost for the surgery, but learned later that it was less expensive and likely covered by her insurance.
"I couldn't shake the idea that my implants had a shelf life," Gilbert said in her blog. "They would have to have them replaced every 10-15 years for the rest of my life. It was possible that at 80 years old I might have to get new implants! Huh?? I also began thinking a lot about the silicone in my body and what might go wrong."