$140k Oscar Gift Bag Could Cost Nominees A Lot in Taxes

This year’s Oscar nominees have nearly $140,000 in gifts at their fingertips — but before they claim their loot … they might wanna consider Uncle Sam, who’ll want his cut.

Every year, actors who get a nod from the Academy are also afforded a sweet goodie bag that’s worth a bundle — and this year is no different, with marketing company Distinctive Assets offering up a ton of prizes that, if claimed in full, are valued at $137k and change.

The gifts up for grabs include everything from an all-expenses-paid trip to Scotland with a 3-night stay at a fancy castle ($50k), free construction for a home renovation ($25k), a comped 4-night visit to a luxury spa resort ($15k), a plot of land in the U.K. and a noble title, free lipo ($12k) … among lots of other perks in the form of services/experiences, or pricey objects.

Might sound cringe — indeed, it has sparked outrage for a variety of reasons — but here’s the kicker … the more gifts they claim from the lot, the more they pay down the road.

Yep, we’re talking about taxes here … and all signs point to a hefty bill if a majority of these gifts are accepted and/or used. Everything the nominees claim will be viewed as taxable income — and some experts speculate that they can be taxed at a rate of 50% or higher!

Of course, that probably isn’t lost on the stars themselves … who may not take up any of the offerings being presented. In fact, Distinctive Assets founder Lash Fary explains that just about $5,000 of the swag bag is made up of actual stuff they can take home … the rest are services/trips. So, if a majority of the gifts go unclaimed, the bag isn’t worth as much.

Still, the fact they’re trotting out these gratuitously expensive carrots for the nominees at all — something that’s been going on for years, BTW — has made some wonder… what’s really important right now?