Toni Braxton files for bankruptcy

The Grammy Award-winning singer, who celebrated her 43rd birthday on Thursday, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in California last week.

Legal documents estimate Braxton's assets to be between $1 million and $10 million – but claim her liabilities are between $10 million and $50 million.

Her list of creditors includes the jewellery boutique Tiffany, high-end hotels such as the Peninsula, the Westin and the Four Seasons, and department store Neiman Marcus.

She also claims she could owe money to LA's Parking Violations Bureau and the DMV in California and Nevada.

Braxton, who has sold more than 40 million albums throughout her career, has a history of financial struggles.

She previously filed for bankruptcy in 1998 and earlier this year the Inland Revenue Service filed a lien against her for $396,000.

One of Braxton's close relatives told a celebrity news blog the singer's financial undoing could be traced back to her long-running show in Las Vegas.

The unnamed source said when Braxton was forced to pull out of her show due to her heart condition, her insurers refused to cover the loss because she had failed to disclose the pre-existing condition.

The relative said the void insurance policy and cancelled Vegas shows caused Braxton a huge financial loss.