Tori Spelling and her estranged husband Dean McDermott are once again facing legal and financial scrutiny, this time over a loan they took out more than a decade ago. According to court documents filed by City National Bank in Los Angeles, and first spotted by Us Weekly, the former couple still owes nearly $400,000 stemming from a 2012 loan. Despite years of legal action, accumulating interest and fees have pushed the outstanding balance to $395,729.82. The bank is now seeking a renewal of a judgment first issued in 2019. For Spelling, the debt marks yet another chapter in a long and very public financial rollercoaster.
The daughter of late TV mogul Aaron Spelling, Tori once had access to one of Hollywood’s most iconic fortunes. But in the years since her father’s death, she has been repeatedly plagued by money issues ranging from tax liens and credit card debt to lawsuits, overdrafts, and even temporary housing instability.
At one point, she was reportedly living in a $100-per-night motel with her five children, and later apparently spent time in an RV parked in Ventura County. Despite appearing on reality shows and launching various business ventures, Spelling has struggled to maintain consistent financial footing. In 2023, she even joked on her podcast that she might need to join OnlyFans to afford college tuition for her kids.
(Photo by Mychal Watts/WireImage for ON 3 PRODUCTIONS)
A $400,000 Loan That Just Keeps Growing
The financial mess dates back to September 2012, when Spelling and McDermott jointly took out a $400,000 loan from City National Bank. The original agreement included repayment with interest, but by 2016, the bank filed a complaint stating the couple had defaulted and still owed nearly $189,000. A judgment followed in May 2017, assessing Spelling $219,796.66 and McDermott $202,066.10. The bank alleged in court documents that Spelling had also overdrawn her account by $17,000.
City National Bank has pursued multiple legal actions since then, including a 2019 default judgment. Now, in 2025, the bank is asking the court to renew the judgment, stating the full amount has never been repaid. The latest filing names Spelling as the sole defendant, suggesting McDermott may have settled or been removed from the action.
A Pattern of Financial Turmoil
This latest lawsuit is only one piece of a much larger pattern. In 2013, Spelling publicly admitted she had “blown through” every dollar she ever earned or inherited, including an estimated $15–20 million fortune. She claimed to have spent millions on failed real estate ventures and lavish lifestyle choices, adding that she and Dean were borrowing money from her mother, Candy Spelling, to pay rent.
When asked directly if she had $1 million in assets, Tori replied, “I don’t have one million dollars.” She clarified that any money they did have was tied up in retirement accounts, not liquid savings. Dean tried to downplay the concern at the time, telling Us Weekly, “Right now things are going well. Tori and I are doing just fine financially.” But court filings soon told a different story.
In 2017, American Express sued the couple over $87,000 in credit card debt, and the IRS pursued them for $260,000 in unpaid taxes. Around the same time, Dean’s ex-wife, Mary Jo Eustace, accused him of owing over $100,000 in child support, claiming he continued to live lavishly at a $2 million estate paid for by Candy Spelling while neglecting tuition and therapist bills for his son.
Spelling eventually settled the AmEx debt in 2023, but the damage to her reputation as a financially stable celebrity has persisted.
Divorce and Custody
Spelling and McDermott separated in June 2023 after 17 years of marriage. She filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, and requested sole physical custody and joint legal custody of their five children: Liam, Stella, Hattie, Finn, and Beau. She also sought spousal support and reimbursement for legal expenses.
McDermott, a Canadian actor known for shows like “Due South” and films like “Open Range,” has largely stayed silent about the couple’s financial state. He occasionally posts upbeat messages on social media, recently noting his renewed focus on yoga and personal growth.
An Inheritance Out of Reach
Despite being the daughter of one of the most successful producers in TV history, Tori reportedly received only a small portion of Aaron Spelling’s estimated $500 million estate. Her mother, Candy Spelling, controls the bulk of the fortune—now estimated at around $600 million—and has had a strained and on-again-off-again relationship with Tori.
Spelling’s longtime reality TV presence—including “Tori & Dean: Inn Love” and “Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood”—once helped the couple monetize their personal lives. But as the $400,000 debt lawsuit shows, those reality checks haven’t been enough to cover reality.
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