Toya Bush-Harris Isn't Afraid to Own Up to Her and Her Husband's Financial Issues
"We basically dropped the ball," the Married to Medicine mom said of her $170,000 in back taxes.
Toya Bush-Harris was not in a great place at the start of Season 4 of Married to Medicine. She revealed that she and her husband, Dr. Eugene Harris, owed about $170,000 to the IRS after falling behind on taxes.
These financial issues have impacted Toya and her family greatly, as we've seen on Married to Medicine. Dr. Eugene has picked up more shifts at the hospital in an effort to help get rid of their debt more quickly, which has put a strain on the family. They have also cut back on spending in areas such as on Toya's 40th prom-themed birthday party. However, it seems as though the most difficult adjustment for Toya has been dealing with downsizing and moving into a more modest home.
Toya said she decided to let Married to Medicine fans into her struggle in order to show other young couples that they need to take control of their finances right from the get-go. "It’s not like they have this book that says what you need to set yourself up for success," she told The Daily Dish. "No one puts you in touch with the perfect accountant. We just learned so much this season about do’s and don’ts about financial investing and really reading and not letting somebody have power of attorney over your money."
The mother of two explained on Married to Medicine that she had let her husband handle the finances for years, and he signed over power of attorney to their accountant. "It was really negligent on my husband and my part, to be honest with you. I was counting on him to be in charge of the finances, and he was counting on the accountant," she explained to The Daily Dish. "We basically dropped the ball."
Toya said she and her husband started seeking guidance from a financial adviser and began saving their money more, in addition to making the other cutbacks we've seen on Married to Medicine. It has also made her think differently about Dr. Eugene's new business ventures like the Replenish by NomadMD facility we saw him getting ready to open in the Season 4 premiere. "I was very happy [about the business], but I tried to be supportive for my husband because I am very supportive of his endeavors, but I’m also at a place where I’m like, 'If it’s not making money, honey, it does not make sense. I’m not interested,'" Toya said. "I told him, at this place in our life, he has to make a decision. He has to decide whether or not it’s something to walk away from if it’s not going to make money."
However, some of Toya's friends didn't think she was taking her financial situation seriously enough in Season 4, such as Quad Webb-Lunceford, who became concerned after the two went on a shopping outing and Toya didn't seem to be scrimping and saving. So Quad showed up to Toya's home acting as if she was making an audit on behalf of the IRS (clip above). Quad then gifted Toya with a budget care kit filled with items designed to help her cut back on her spending, including ramen noodles and hot dogs, which Toya wasn't so happy about at first. "I felt very angry about that at the beginning. I think I felt like she was making it a joke, and she felt like I was not taking it seriously. When I really looked at the scenario, I was like, 'Wow. Am I not taking it seriously? Am I coming off to my friends as though I am not really concerned?'" she said. "I didn’t feel like she was trying to get involved with my business. I think she was trying to be supportive. I think she was honestly being a friend."
Through it all, Toya has faced this challenge head-on and right by her husband's side. "His issues are my issues. That really hit home," she said. "When you’re married, it's something that you have to handle as a team. I have to really realize that it’s not just his fault or individual, it’s both of ours."
See more of Toya and Eugene's marriage through the years, below.
