I remember watching the comedian Sinbad when I was in college, when he had his own (short lived) show and starred in such cinematic tour de forces as “First Kid” and “Houseguest.” Turns out that the Internal Revenue Service has also had their eye on the big redheaded fool and says that he owes them back taxes in the tune of $8 million.

Sinbad, whose real name is David Adkins, is accused of stiffing Uncle Sam out of their tithe on income earned between 1998 and 2006. The entertainer has filed for bankruptcy. In the filing, Sinbad reported close to $50 million in liabilities and less than $50,000 in assets.

Like a lot of Americans nowadays, Sinbad may soon find himself out on the street. The U.S. Attorney General’s office wants to foreclose on his $1.5 million home in Hidden Hills, California to help satisfy the debt, according to federal court records.

The back taxes range from $157,934 in 2003 to $2,358,563 in 1998. Like with most delinquent tax situations, penalties and interest charges continue to accrue while things are being sorted out.

As you can see from Sinbad’s case, you do not want to mess with the IRS. The feds have the ability to hit you with charges that would make American Express blush, and your income and assets are subject to forfeiture by court order.

However, if you work with the taxman you may find him amenable to working out payment plans and reduced penalties. But you have to be proactive and let them know that you’re having payment problems. The alternative may just be hitting the ATM and learning that your paycheck has been garnished.

There are lots of ways to resolve tax debt besides burying your head in the sand and hoping for the best. There is information on IRS.gov that can help you, check it out.