In the ongoing divorce between Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner, there’s been a lot of talk about money. As the two figure out how their assets will be affected by their split, and following the Yellowstone star’s win in court over their living situation, the actor revealed why he limited his ex-wife’s credit card to $30,000 a month.
As this divorce continues to play out, People obtained court documents that explained Costner’s thoughts on his ex-wife’s spending. One of the tentpole issues of this case has been about Baumgartner leaving the former couple’s house in Santa Barbra. She has been unwilling to move, despite their prenuptial agreement stating she would move within a month of filing the papers. One of her reasons for staying was about making the actor agree to various child support and moving terms.
In the documents, the director’s legal team claimed that he has worked to “maintain the status quo” for their children, and has been “paying 100% of the children’s expenses.” It went on to explain why he limited the handbag designer's credit card, noting:
Kevin was left with no choice but to reduce Christine’s credit card spending because Christine changed the status quo by charging more than $105,000 to divorce lawyers and forensic accountants, with no advance notice to him.
The documents continued with a direct statement about this limit from Kevin Costner as he claimed:
I agreed to maintain the status quo with respect to our children. I have done so. I have continued to pay all of the children’s expenses since Christine filed for divorce. Christine does not claim that the children’s expenses have not been paid. She does not demonstrate their needs have been impacted in any way by limiting her credit card spending to the very substantial amount of $30,000 a month.
These claims come after Costner alleged that Baumgartner spent nearly $200 thousand a month on plastic surgery, a “private trainer” and “unallocated credit card expenses.” He also went on to claim in the same filing that he’s paying nearly $52,000 in child support, and he is covering 100% of his three kids’ health insurance, his daughter’s private school tuition, his son’s car payment and more.
Baumgartner also revealed the families' extravagant spending, while also claiming that her ex-husband is paying “less than” she hoped for her and their kids, Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13.
Along with Costner’s claims about limiting his ex-wife's credit card, Christine Baumgartner’s legal team filed a document that stated:
In a letter sent after-the-fact, Kevin’s lawyer explained that was cut off because I paid my lawyers and experts $105,000 'without [Kevin’s] authorization or consent.' Kevin knew I needed to pay my lawyers, as numerous requests were made for him to make these contributions directly.
She went on to claim that her ex “refused to pay what was requested,” which was a primary point of tension in the debate over their house in California. A judge ruled Wednesday in favor of Costner, saying his ex-wife has to move by July 31.
As this divorce develops, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.
