Last December, Jodie Turner Smith and Joshua Jackson’s divorce situation heated up unexpectedly. At least I didn’t expect it to get messy, but it did. Jodie claimed that Joshua wasn’t paying any child support or spousal support, and that he was making joint-custody of their daughter really difficult. Earlier in May, we learned that Joshua and Jodie had spent about five months working out almost everything to do with the divorce, but we just didn’t know the terms. This week, the divorce settlement documents came out and I find them very interesting. Basically, it looks like Joshua gave Jodie a lump-sum settlement in exchange for not having to pay monthly spousal support. They also worked out all of the other financial stuff:
Jodie Turner-Smith and Joshua Jackson have reached an agreement about their separation nearly two years after filing for divorce. According to documents obtained by PEOPLE, the former couple reached a settlement regarding spousal support, as well as child support and custody of their 5-year-old daughter Juno.
The two agreed to mutually waive spousal support or alimony. When it comes to child support payments, the Doctor Odyssey star will contribute $2,787 a month via wire transfer. The payments will continue until Juno turns 19 or graduates from high school, “whichever occurs first.” All other “reasonable” costs like “medical/health expenses, private school tuition and mandatory school costs, reasonable educational expenses, tutoring, camps, and all agreed-upon extracurricular activities of Juno and all agreed-upon travel costs” will be divided equally, per the docs.
Due to the “fluctuating income” of both Turner-Smith and Jackson, the duo will calculate the “appropriate amount of child support” as well as “any reimbursement for overpayments” annually and exchange their income and expense information for the prior calendar year.
The documents state that Turner-Smith will keep all of her earnings, accumulations and efforts she received prior to marriage, during marriage and post-separation. The actress will also be entitled to “all cash and personal belongings, including, without limitation, clothing, jewelry, watches and other personal effects, as well as “all art, collectibles, antiques, furniture, fixtures, appliances, electronics and furnishings” in her possession.
She will also keep the right, title and interest to her checking, savings, investment and retirement accounts. In addition, she will keep her business entity, Sacred Crow, along with financial responsibilities for all her credit cards and all residual royalties, intellectual property from the actress’ films, filming, commercial and film-related projects, as well as from her modeling career and professional equipment.
As for Jackson, the Dawson’s Creek alum will also keep all of his earnings, accumulations and efforts prior to marriage, during marriage and post-separation. Like Turner-Smith, he’ll also keep all cash and personal belongings, including, without limitation, clothing, jewelry, watches and other personal effects in his possession and/or under his control.
The actor will keep the title and rights to his Los Angeles property and multiple business entities. Jackson has been awarded “any and all insurance proceeds from wildfire losses,” vehicles in his name, credit cards, professional equipment in his possession, residuals, royalties, intellectual property stemming from his films, commercial and film-related projects. He will also keep various pension plans in his name as well as social security, according to the docs.
While most things are settled between the former couple, they are still figuring out child custody. The two have agreed to abide by the “existing temporary joint legal and physical custody orders,” which awards them both “joint legal and physical custody to the parties with equal timeshares” until an agreement with a “specific parenting plan” can be negotiated at a later date.
$2,787 a month in child support equals $33,444 a year. Which seems very low, given Joshua’s wealth and steady income. The only way that makes sense is if Joshua gave Jodie a particularly generous lump-sum settlement. Of course, I also think Jodie wants to prove to herself and the world that she can earn enough to support Juno on her own. I get that, but I also hope she’s collecting a settlement. The documents also say that Joshua contributed to Jodie’s attorney fees – she accused him last year of burying her in paperwork and running up her legal fees, so that’s what that’s about.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.
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- New York City, NY – The Met Gala “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Pictured: Jodie Turner-Smith BACKGRID USA 5 MAY 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: BFA.com / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York City, NY – The Met Gala “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Pictured: Daniel Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith BACKGRID USA 5 MAY 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: BFA.com / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Vanity Fair Oscar Party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Featuring: Jodie Turner-Smith Where: Beverly Hlls, California, United States When: 02 Mar 2025 Credit: Jennifer Bloc/Future Image/Cover Images **NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN GERMANY**
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- Celebrities attend the European Premiere of ‘Thunderbolts’ at Cineworld Leicester Square in London, England Featuring: Jodie Turner-Smith Where: London, United Kingdom When: 23 Apr 2025 Credit: John Rainford/Cover Images
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- Celebrities attending the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit Gala 2025 in New York Featuring: Jodie Turner-Smith Where: New York City, United States When: 05 May 2025 Credit: Matt Crossick/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
It says the current custody is shared 50/50, so I don’t think this is necessarily surprising. I don’t know how very different their lifestyles are in terms of wealth. They both keep earnings during the marriage, and Jodie had some bigger recent stuff than Joshua, I think. Anyway, it doesn’t appear that she’s the primary carer if they are really doing 50/50 physical custody, so I don’t really see why he would be paying a lot in child support.
I just read his net worth is $6M which isn’t all that much if you consider what he does for a living.
If true that is shockingly low. Even James Van Der Beek is worth $8M and he hasn’t had nearly as much work post-Dawson’s Creek as JJ has.
The way they’re working out the terms of the divorce feels like they’re just doing a massive re-set, as if they’d never been together at all. It’s kinda sad but if they’re both agreeable to the terms then I find nothing wrong with this. I do get big independent vibes from Jodie which is admirable as long as she feels she’s getting enough support for their kid.
He’s a dog
I’m stuck with this one. I don’t like how she tried to call him out for doing exactly what they both agreed to last year. It was done to try to that’s his name.
Also, I feel like he’s being cheap. She’s the mother of his child. If she needs extra help, outside of court orders, give her the damn help!
I just read Dr. Odyssey is not on the list of shows positively to be renewed. I wonder if this mess is part of that.
We only see a bit on the outside. I used to work for a matrimonial accountant.
There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes. With trusts being set up. And lump sum payments. That balances out what is owed to who.
I am assuming they kept it on the lower end based on the fluctuating incomes. She is riding high now with several series and a few movies coming out. He has Dr. Odyssey right now. I would say, at the moment she is the higher earner.
I don’t think his net worth is as high as people think.
He had a long run with Fringe but ended over 10 years ago. And Dawson’s Creek ended over 20 years ago.
Just because you don’t see it in black and white. Does not mean he hasn’t paid what is due to her. Nor should it be front page news when it comes to a minor.
I just hope they can co-parent and do what is best for the child and put the rest to the side.
And DO is a on the bubble show. One of the few not renewed or canceled so far. The abc schedule is out so, at best, it’s coming back mid season. She’s definitely busier than him right now though he has the higher career totals.
The article also said that outside of the child support, they are splitting all reasonable costs such as medical private schools daycare etc equally down the middle. So it’s not like she has to do everything for the child on the $2,900 a month, he still going to be paying for quite a lot of activities.
In the filings it noted JJ makes about 2 times as much as she does per month. He also has the Karate Kid movie coming out at the end of May and several other streams of income. Audiobooks etc.
Like a lot of Celebrities-he has real estate in trusts such as apartment buildings and probably gets an annuity from that.
She did not initially list school or medical as expenses for the filings last year so if he got a split-his lawyer should get a raise. I wonder if the article got it wrong?
Her biggest problem is that he does just not live that large for celebrity. His home that burned was lovely by all reports but worth about $2 million which by California prices is not huge. A lot of child support can be about lifestyle not being impacted that much when switching homes. His also renting while waiting for house to be rebuilt also puts her side on the back foot so to speak.
The final decree did note that there were no child support arrears or withheld documents on finances. Seems in direct response to her media stuff. She tried to up the settlement by retroactively asking for support both spousal and child and was basically told nice try.
My goodness—she can wear clothes. On almost anyone else that *hat would be wearing them.* But she wears it and makes it look good.
Seeing what she was arguing before, I’d say there is very little chance she’s agreeing on a smaller sum than what she’s entitled to.
$33,444 a year, paid to someone with high earnings, who only has the child half the time and apparently not considering other expenses that they detail later… That’s $66,888 a year for equivalent full time, not including anything she might contribute for her daughter… I know life in the US is very expensive, but it’s weird to consider that very low?
I don’t know – they both work and probably make a decent (not huge) income, they share custody time 50/50, and share other expenses 50/50. It seems…fine? Fair? As long as both parents can provide the same standard of living for the child and all costs are equally covered, it seems ok to me. And it sounds like they will re-evaluated yearly, so if one of them gets a huge payday, it will adjust.
I’m surprised there’s any child support when there’s a 50/50 parenting arrangement in place, let alone this fairly large amount (it’s twice the amount of the weekly government parenting payment where I am) But I’m also not in the US, so unfamiliar with the system.
They split custody 50/50, and this monthly amount is in *addition* to splitting the costs for healthcare, school, necessities etc. evenly. That seems pretty reasonable, imo. While certainly wealthier than most people, neither of them are so spectacularly wealthy that you’d see 5 or 6 figure monthly payments (imagine).
I fear a lot of people don’t understand the realities of divorce law and what you’re actually entitled to. But in this case, it doesn’t sound like he’s some deadbeat dad or letting his child suffer over pettiness. Assuming both parents are responsible, their child will not be lacking.