Kevin Costner ordered to pay estranged wife Christine Baumgartner $129,000 per month in child support
Poppy Bilderbeck
Featured Image Credit: ITV / Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
A tentative ruling has resulted in Kevin Costner being ordered to pay Christine Baumgartner a hefty sum every month in child support.
Earlier this year, on 1 May, designer Baumgartner filed for divorce from the Yellowstone actor. She later spoke out about the amount she would receive in child support for the pair's three children as being 'completely inappropriate'.
Baumgartner took Costner took court submitting a forensic accountant's report into the actor's earnings, requesting $248,000 per month in child support, as opposed to the $51,940 per month proposed support.
Yesterday (Tuesday, 11 July) a judge set a tentative ruling which has resolved in the designer being set to receive half the amount she sought - $129,755 a month.
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In documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Baumgartner argued Costner's proposal of her receiving $51,940-a-month child support was 'inappropriate' when looking at his gross cash flow for 2022 - a reported $2,043,241 per month, amounting to $24,518,887 for the year.
The documents stated: "His proposed support is less than the monthly rent he received for one of his guest houses, and less than the $68,000 per month he committed to paying in his declaration filed on June 8, 2023 in connection with his request for a preliminary injunction."
Baumgartner argued the actor should be 'doing the most [he] can reasonably do to make a divorce as seamless as possible for [the pair's] children'.
Celebrity lawyer and partner at Walzer, Melcher and Yoda, Christopher C Melcher told Fox News Digital: "Under the tentative ruling, Christine will receive one-half of the amount she was requesting."
While $129,755 is still a very large figure, Melcher told the outlet it's 'another defeat for Christine'.
"But no one should be complaining about getting $129,755 per month in child support," he noted.
Melcher resolves: "It is an outrageous sum of money, but Kevin has an unbelievable lifestyle, and the law allows for child support so the mother can maintain the same standard of living for the children."
The tentative ruling also saw the judge resolve Costner will be required to pay $100,000 in forensic costs as well as $200,000 in attorney's fees.
The pair will share the costs of their three children's extracurricular activities, sports and health care expenses - despite Baumgartner requesting Costner cover 100 percent.
According to the Superior Court of California, a 'tentative ruling' is 'the proposed ruling of the court'. It states: "Parties who disagree may wish to continue with oral argument at the scheduled legal motion time. Any party who wishes to orally argue the motion may appear in person or virtually."
Both Costner and Baumgartner are seeking joint custody of their children.
Baumgartner has claimed she and the kids are being forced out of their family home - an allegation the actor has denied, saying the children will of course be allowed to stay at home when in his custody.
Baumgartner's representatives tried to extend her stay at the home for longer than detailed in the pair's prenup, arguing the designer did not have 'sufficient funding to secure housing that will ensure the children can maintain similar standards of living in the parties’ respective homes'.
However, earlier this month, a judge upheld Costner's prenuptial agreement that his separate property residences would remain his 'no matter what happened in [their] marriage' and ruled Baumgartner has until 31 July to vacate the property.
The pair's custody case hearing is currently set for 12 July.
UNILAD has contacted Costner's reps for comment.