The IRS is seeking $461,253.54 from Aaron Carter’s estate, months after a judge found it insolvent and approved its closure.
The claim covers unpaid federal taxes, interest and penalties, according to new court documents obtained by TMZ, which reported the claim on October 21.
Carter, known for childhood hits including “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It),” died at his home in Lancaster, California, on November 5, 2022. He was 34.
Estate representative Aileen Federizo identified his son, Princeton, as the estate’s sole beneficiary in January. The boy’s mother is Carter’s former fiancée, Melanie Martin.
The IRS Claim Covers Five Tax Years
The balances listed in the filing relate to 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. The oldest is $326.60, while the amount attributed to the most recent year is $172,538.70.
TMZ said it had contacted the estate for more information but did not report a response.
A Judge Rejected Jane Schneck’s Attempt to Keep the Estate Open
Carter’s mother, Jane Schneck, had challenged the final accounting and sought to keep the estate operating. A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge rejected her objections and ordered its remaining non-cash assets distributed to Martin, according to TMZ’s April report.
Schneck also asked that Martin be kept from serving as trustee of Princeton’s trust.
In the same filing, Schneck described Martin as a good mother who met the child’s physical and emotional needs. She acknowledged contributing to their strained relationship and said she did not want to cause Martin legal harm.
His Mother Disputed the Value of His Name and Image
Schneck believed the rights to Carter’s name, photograph and likeness were worth at least $30,000. Federizo disputed that valuation in a January 22 filing reviewed by Us Weekly.
The representative said Schneck had not offered a plan that would produce enough money to make the estate solvent or benefit Princeton.
Federizo’s filing listed an earlier federal tax balance of $164,228.41, plus interest and penalties, and $87,106.69 owed to California’s Franchise Tax Board. How that federal figure relates to the newly reported claim remains unclear.
A partial inventory reported in June 2024 put the appraised assets at an estimated $757,400 as of April 2023. Other items were still awaiting valuation.
A December 2024 accounting had identified approximately $16,296 in royalties and $6,120 in personal property that could pass to the child. Federizo said selling the remaining personal items was unlikely to raise much money for the estate.
The house sale generated about $7,000 in profit, and Carter’s gun collection was sold during probate.
Martin and Schneck Disputed Control of Carter’s Assets
In December 2025, Martin accused Schneck of trying to gain control of Princeton’s inheritance. She said she was working to pay legal fees and protect the property she believed should pass to her son.
Schneck also alleged that Martin made unauthorized withdrawals totaling about $24,530 from Carter’s accounts after his death. Her accusation appeared in court papers challenging the estate’s accounting, reported in February.
Martin disputed wrongdoing, saying Schneck did not understand Carter’s finances. She told TMZ that Carter had given her his LOVE business and that they had shared bank accounts.
Pharmacies Reached a Settlement in a Separate Wrongful-Death Lawsuit
Martin also filed a wrongful-death lawsuit on Princeton’s behalf in 2023. The case accused doctors and pharmacies of improperly prescribing or dispensing Xanax before Carter’s death.
Walgreens and Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy reached a settlement resolving the claims against them, according to an October 22 report from Rolling Stone, which reviewed a court filing. Attorney Marc Lazo confirmed the agreement to the publication and said its terms were confidential.
The case had already produced an earlier settlement with psychiatrist Dr. John Faber and Amen Clinics. Attorneys for the clinic maintained that its treatment met the required standard of care and disputed the allegation that the prescribed medication caused Carter’s death.
Claims against dentist Jason Mirabile remain pending.