Things are getting even messier in the divorce proceedings between Kevin Costner and his estranged wife Christine Baumgartner. This week, they were back in court for an evidentiary hearing that had bearing on the amount of child support she would be receiving. Baumgartner, who designed handbags before her marriage to Costner, apparently broke down crying when she talked about why she was asking for so much money in child support. Her argument is that she and her children have been accustomed to a certain kind of lifestyle that requires a lot of money to uphold.
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She is asking for a lot of money.
Baumgartner is asking for $161,592 in monthly child support payments from Costner for their three children: Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13. This is down from her original request of $175,057 but still more than the $129,755 she was temporarily awarded in July of this year.
Even though her new amount is lower, it’s still significantly higher than the $60,000 Costner and his lawyers are proposing.
Her team is arguing that the kids are accustomed to a certain lifestyle.
"Based on this cash flow, and a 50/50 parenting time share, the guideline child support, which is presumptively correct under California law, is $175,057 per month," court documents obtained by People stated.
The documents also showed that for the years 2021-2022, Costner’s available cash was more than $1 million a month.
Her lawyer, John Rydell, told the court that for their kids, living a luxurious life is "in their DNA at this point" as an explanation for the amount of child support she is requesting.
Things became a bit emotional in court.
During her testimony, Baumgartner became "emotional" talking about the Santa Barbara compound she shared with Costner, which she was forced to vacate at the end of July due to the conditions of their prenup.
"It’s so much more than this — it’s an experience," she said, flipping through photos of the home. The compound also includes an infinity pool, volleyball court, and two guest houses among other things.
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It's easy to see why the compound isn't something she wants to give up.
Speaking of the home’s "surf garage," Baumgartner said "we create whatever we can dream up in here." She added that said space is 50 steps from being able to put your "toes in the water.”
"We’ve created quite a community," she added.
No final rulings have been made yet.
"Christine brings this request in order to uphold these Family Law principles and to assure that the parties’ three minor children will continue to have the benefit of the lifestyle that has been made possible by Kevin’s substantial earnings and wealth," the court documents stated.
Additionally, they read, "$175,057 per month will not be sufficient to replicate Kevin’s lifestyle, but it will be sufficient to allow her to provide a lifestyle for the children which is relatively comparable."
No word yet on how things will play out.
