You Won’t Believe How Much Kevin Costner’s Wife Wants In Child Support Per Month

The Hollywood star Kevin Costner’s divorce from his wife Christine Baumgartner, who he was married to for 18 years, has taken a nasty turn as she is requesting a massive amount in child support for their three children.

Baumgartner’s Child Support Demand

TODAY reported that in a declaration filed on June 16 to Santa Barbara County Superior Court, Baumgartner demanded $248,000 a month in child support. This is ostensibly meant to cover the private school tuition, extracurriculars and health care expenses of their three children: Cayden, 16; Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13.

Baumgartner, 49, claimed in the filing that she has no income because she has been a stay-at-home mother since the birth of her first child. She added that their “marital lifestyle, including that of the children, was consistent with Kevin’s longterm exceedingly high-income.”

“I realize that our lifestyle is extraordinary. I appreciate how very blessed we are to live this way,” she stated. “It’s important to not only to provide a warm and comfortable home for our children but to also teach them family values and gratitude.”

In another declaration filed the same day, Baumgartner claimed that her children are used to an “exceptionally high” standard of living. To support this, she argued that the children grew up in three separate houses that have “effectively been combined into one large living space” with a private oceanfront beach, an infinity pool and their own bedrooms.

A forensic accountant hired by Baumgartner determined that Costner’s average monthly cash flow is $1,536,808.

Baumgartner’s lawyers cited California Family Code section 4053, which states that children should “share in the standard of living of both parents” and adds that child support may “improve the standard of living of the custodial household to improve the lives of the children.”

“The child support that Christine is requesting may seem large, but her request is in accord with California statutory and case law,” Baumgartner’s team wrote. “This is precisely the type of case that demands an upward deviation so that the children will at least approach the standard of living of their father.”

Related: ‘Yellowstone’ Star Kevin Costner’s Divorce Takes Nasty Turn As Wife Refuses To Move Out Of Home

Costner Honors Prenup

This came one week after Costner, 68, said that he honored their prenuptial agreement by paying Baumgartner $1,000,000 after she filed for divorce. Baumgartner, however, fired back by saying that she had not touched this money yet.

“I believe that Kevin’s goal is to get me to tap into this money, so he can argue that I’ve waived my right to challenge the Premarital Agreement,” she said, going on to add that she “cannot make this concession (and does) not accept payment.”

Costner was reportedly blindsided by Baumgartner filing for divorce earlier this year.

“It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage,” his representative said at the time.

Sources later told People Magazine that Costner though the filing “was an unpleasant surprise” for the Dances With Wolves star, he “wasn’t shocked” by it.

“But this is not what he wanted,” one source stated. “He knew that Christine was unhappy though.”

Related: Kevin Costner Blindsided By Wife Filing For Divorce – He’s ‘Stunned’

‘Yellowstone’ Ending

Days after Baumgartner filed for divorce, Daily Mail reported that the end of “Yellowstone” was announced by Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, who also announced that a sequel starring Matthew McConaughey will be replacing it.

“‘Yellowstone’ has been the cornerstone on which we have launched an entire universe of global hits — from ‘1883’ to ‘Tulsa King,’ and I am confident our sequel will be another big hit, thanks to the brilliant creative mind of Taylor Sheridan [the show’s creator] and our incredible casts who bring these shows to life,” McCarthy said.

This divorce is clearly getting messy for everyone involved. For the sake of the three children, we can only hope that Costner and Baumgartner are able to figure this out as quickly as possible so that they can be effective co-parents together.