When we last checked in on Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner’s divorce, a judge had ordered Christine to vacate their huge Carpinteria mansion by the end of this month. Christine was still living there with the children, despite the fact that she signed a harsh prenup 19 years ago. The terms of the prenup were that all of their properties were solely in Costner’s name, and that she had to vacate all of those properties in 30 days. She didn’t vacate and she was refusing to do so until Costner agreed to a monthly child support figure. She was asking for $248K a month. Well, the judge has now given Costner a number for temporary child support:
Kevin Costner’s one step closer to finding out what he owes his estranged wife for child support … a judge tentatively ruled the actor will be coughing up more than $129k a month.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the judge in their divorce case says Kevin must pay Christine Baumgartner $129,755 per month in child support. The ruling is tentative, subject to another upcoming hearing though the decision rarely changes.
The figure is a little over half of what Kevin’s estranged wife was gunning for … she requested $248k, a figure Kevin’s accountant said included more than $100k for cosmetic procedures.
TMZ broke the story … Kevin initially offered Christine $51,940, in addition to him paying all the children’s expenses, but she scoffed at the figure … saying the offer was “completely inappropriate.”
According to the docs, Kevin and Christine will each be on the hook for 50% of their kids’ health care expenses, plus their extracurricular activities and private school tuition.
Kevin is also being ordered to advance Christine $200k for attorney’s fees and another $100k in forensic costs.
This child support order is temporary … there will be a full hearing in the next few months where Kevin and Christine will present evidence of the proper amount of child support — so it could go up, or down.
“Kevin is also being ordered to advance Christine $200k for attorney’s fees and another $100k in forensic costs.” She charged the forensic accountant to his credit card and now the court is telling Costner: you have to pay for that! LMAO. As for the child support number… I think Christine’s original figure was a negotiation tactic, so I’m sure she’s fine with getting $1.557 million a year in child support. I would also assume that she will continue to try to invalidate or nullify the prenup so she can get alimony or perhaps a lump-sum divorce settlement. Those costs add up though – private schools, doctor bills, extracurriculars. On the other side, you know Christine is probably just going to end up raising those kids all by herself… which is what she was doing anyway, because Costner was always on location.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- “The Art of Racing in the Rain” World Premiere at the El Capitan Theater on August 1, 2019 in Los Angeles, CA Featuring: Grace Avery Costner, Kevin Costner, Cayden Wyatt Costner, Christine Baumgartner, Hayes Logan Costner Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 02 Aug 2019 **ONLY AVAILABLE FOR SPAIN & USA**,Image: 536804849, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: USA and SPAIN DIRECT SALES ONLY – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: WENN / Wenn / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 01: Kevin Costner and family attend the Premiere Of 20th Century Fox’s “The Art Of Racing In The Rain” at El Capitan Theatre on August 01, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 536807501, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Avalon): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com, Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Sutter/PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- Kevin Costner arrives at the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673495574, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ©A.M.P.A.S. All rights reserved., Model Release: no, Credit line: LCY / Avalon
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- Christine Baumgartner and Kevin Costner arrive on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673541629, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- Christine Baumgartner and Kevin Costner arrive on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673541661, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- Kevin Costner attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673570618, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Kevin Costner, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
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- Kevin Costner attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673570677, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Kevin Costner, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
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- Kevin Costner attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673587364, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Kevin Costner, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
So she’s getting less than she asked for, and more than he initially offered, but now she has to pay half their tuition etc out of that money – with his offer (which was absurdly low), he at least covered all the kids’ expenses. So it seems to me that she comes out ahead with this amount, but maybe not by that much depending on their healthcare and extracurricular costs, etc.
Yea that she now has to pay half of their expenses doesn’t sound like that great of a deal.
No it doesn’t. Kevin is utilizing the judge to punish Christine and it makes him look like a heartless, angry and petty man.
Right? Considering what Kevin is worth, it really seems like he should be the one paying all of the kids’ expenses, especially ones like their school tuition, ffs. What a POS he is.
Those poor kids. They’re probably going to end up hating him, but apparently that doesn’t seem to bother him.
Public school!
The real victims are the kids but who knows if he was really a present father – seems like he wasn’t – and maybe this will be healthier for the kids.
What I do know is she deserves that money.
He can well afford to support his wife and children in the lifestyle to which they are accustomed. I was never a fan of his, but I didn’t know he was such an a-hole.
Makes you wonder if it’s worth it to divorce. If she had waiting out the children growing up and becoming of age would she be better of? Would he have to pay alimony?
I don’t know how that works in California. Is there alimony, as opposed to just child support? What about community property, which would make half his earnings during their marriage hers? Or does the Pre-Nup override all of that?
It’s a lot of money, but if she has to pay for half of the expenses mentioned, it won’t go far enough in SoCal to support the kids in the manner they have been raised thus far.
Also if they’re still married, she can arrange whatever testing or providers or whatever she wants and probably effectively has a lot of laterality in consenting for med treatments while Kevin is in absentia.
Once they have split medical custody, forget it.
Kevster has to explicitly consent to everything, except for therapy after the kid is 14.
Guess how often that whole thing becomes a favorite means to antagonize the ex?
I heard Kevin spent millions in the many failing businesses his wife started, the biggest losses were in the handbags, that she was trying to sell.
That you Kevin?!?!? You can claim business losses back on taxes so I don’t feel so bad for him. He still made money.
Besides the handbags what were the other many failing businesses?
I heard Kevin was a powerful, grown ass man when he started dating Christine. Every decision he made about her and money was *his* decision. No one forced him to marry her. No one forced him to have children with her. No one forced him to support her attempts at entrepreneurship. No one forced him to be away from his family for months/years on end leaving Christine to raise their children without him. No one forced him to “allegedly” cheat on her.
So maybe, Jan, you should reconsider what you are putting out here.
I heard that Kevin is a misogynist workaholic who never spent time with his wife or children. And then got mad when he was asked to participate in the family he helped create.
And that has absolutely NOTHING to do with child support owed so that the kids maintain the same lifestyle despite their parents divorcing. Shut up, Kevin.
I used to love Kevin Costner for his relationship with Whitney and his eulogy at her funeral. So over him now. Will not be watching anything he’s in. What a disappointment. I thought he had a good guy.
Thomas Pearce Anderle, the 88- year old judge appointed by Republican governor Pete Wilson doesn’t have the best reviews and is said to be pro plaintiff. By the end of June, Kevin Costner had increased the amount of child support (California has a set method based on income to figure child support out) to $123,620 per month. No mention if he still was intending to pay all tuition, health, and activities as well. Considering Christine will be receiving a slight bit more temporarily, but have to split the kids’ expenses, I’m not sure this is entirely fair. Kevin Costner is reputed to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The People article has the $123,620 figure: https://people.com/parents/all-about-kevin-costner-kids/
I don’t know about California (I think it is similar) but in Texas the soft amount of child support for 3 children is approx. 30% of the non-custodial parent’s wages.
At approx $16,000,000 wages per year (and you know he probably makes more than that) that would be $400,000 per month in child support. After taxes, his income would be lower but still, the child support should be way more than the temporary amount of $129,000 per month.
If Kevin is allowed to barely pay child support I hope he has to pay a very large settlement/alimony.
Kevin is claiming a reduction in income because he made the bizarre decision to leave his hit show in the second half of the final season. The cynic in me wonders if he did that to avoid paying $400k per month in child support…
Regarding alimony, the prenup will likely be upheld unless there’s a very good reason for invalidating it which seems unlikely. That’s kind of the point of having a prenup…
@ OriginalLeigh, that’s exactly why he left his lucrative show!!
My ex pulled the same stunt and refused to get a job, which the judge saw right through. She calculated his salary for the last 2 years and based it on those amounts. He surprisingly became employed within 2 weeks.
BothSidesNow, I’m glad that your judge didn’t allow your ex to financially abuse you and your children! And thank goodness you got away.
I know that I can be a real pedant, but facts are facts… “advance” doesn’t mean he has to pay those costs. It is an advance on her final settlement. He will get that back when her final settlement is reduced by those amounts.
Assuming TMZ is using the word correctly….
I bet you’re right on that. It’ll be deducted from the final settlement.
That child support amount seems low, considering it was reported that he had an income of $19 million last year. Not even 10%?
Well, I’m tired of all of it.
What a spiteful man. He doesn’t care that his children will see how petty he was their mother during this time. Horrible man.
Even if he was all the bad things that are being reported, a smart man would have just paid the money to make this all go away quietly.
Why would anyone with a brain willfully sign that particular prenup? This prenup was allegedly worded more like a business deal than a marriage! After Christine had the 1st child, she should have re- negotiated that prenup & again when she had the 2nd & the 3rd. Also the other 17 years that she was married to him!
From what i understand, Kevin’s 1st divorce cost him 80 million ( due to his infidelty), so i see why he wanted a prenup drawn up. This is not Kevin’s 1st divorce rodeo & he knows how to play his cards. I believe that Kevin was not surprised by the judge’s latest ruling & knew that he would be paying more, so he & his attorney have been low-balling her. I believe Kevin will provide for all his children, just not for her & the lifestyle she was accustomed to living….
Christine
Whoever the lawyer she had representing her (assuming she had one) when she signed that pre-nup really dropped the ball, JFC.
Ladies & ( gentlemen , if it applies), always know your spouse’s/ partner’s finances, investments, etc. So many times i have heard women saying that they had no clue how much $ their husband made, the stocks he invested in, etc.
Make it a point to know all the finances going on & coming out in your home!!!
I have always been in charge of all the finances in my home. When my MIL passed last year ( totally unexpected), i told my husband of 20 yrs), he needed to know where all our finances were invested. He never took an interest. It took another few months( he kept saying tomorrow) before i got him to sit down so i could go ovet it with him…
Also, establish income of your own..
I think this amount will be very hard for them to live on if she has to get housing in the area of her kids schools and sports. In addition to paying half of those costs WITHOUT AN INCOME means she’s out rent (because she doesn’t have enough to buy anything), utilities, maybe security?, school tuition, health care, sports etc. These kids were used to having a maid, chef, probably drivers etc and now they will be in a rental home far less than what they were used to with a mom who isn’t used to actually doing everything and who will therefore be stressed out of her mind. These are rich people problems that are hard to relate to but it’s still going to impact the kids the most. I wonder how the judge etc expects her to pay for current things like tuition without an income and relying only on a temporary agreement? Mostly though I wonder why she didn’t prepare better for this battle by stockpiling more than 50,000 away for herself out of the huge amount of money she had access to before this? Like putting away 10,000 a month wouldn’t have been noticed with the amount she could spend each month. Why does she only have 50,000 to her name?