In a recent court ruling, actor Kevin Costner has been ordered to pay his estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, over double the amount he had initially proposed for child support.
According to court documents obtained by Fox News, Judge Thomas Anderle decided that the “Yellowstone” star must pay $129,755 per month to support their three children together. In addition to the child support, Costner, 68, has also been ordered to pay $200,000 in attorney’s fees and $100,000 in forensic costs.
Under the judge’s ruling, both Costner and Baumgartner, 49, will be responsible for paying 50 percent of their children’s healthcare expenses, as well as expenses related to sports and extracurricular activities.
The decision comes after Baumgartner initially requested $248,000 a month in child support, in addition to an undisclosed sum of spousal support agreed upon in their premarital agreement. Costner disagreed with the amount requested, citing financial constraints due to his changing job situation. He accused Baumgartner of seeking money for personal expenses unrelated to their children, including cosmetic procedures, boutique shopping, ATM withdrawals, and construction loans.
Costner proposed a “reasonable” monthly child support amount of $51,940, which he was already paying. However, the court ruled in favor of Baumgartner’s higher request.
The couple filed for divorce in May after 18 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. Since then, they have been engaged in a contentious legal battle concerning the terms of their prenuptial agreement.
Costner had been urging Baumgartner to vacate their shared home, referring to a premarital agreement they both signed in 2004, which stipulated that she would leave the marital estate within 30 days in the event of a separation. Baumgartner argued against leaving, asserting that the premarital agreement did not provide a legal basis for her removal.
However, a judge recently upheld the terms of their existing prenup and ordered Baumgartner to move out of the shared family home by July 31, as reported by TMZ. Despite her attorneys’ request for an extension due to time and financial constraints, the request was ultimately denied.
Source: Page Six
