No, she’s not kidding! Christine Baumgartner, Kevin Costner’s estranged wife, claimed that her kids should receive more child support because living a lavish lifestyle “is in their DNA at this point.”
Incredulous remarks were made by the former handbag designer’s lawyer, John Rydell, on Thursday during a court proceeding when they were discussing Baumgartner’s desire to enhance the amount of child support she presently receives from the actor.
Rydell then listed all the sports the kids play and the homes the family owns. Baumgartner added that her motivations were “so much more” than merely money concerns.
She reportedly said in court, “It’s an experience,” before referring to the family home as a “community.”
The rest of Baumgartner’s statement went like this: “We create whatever we can dream up in here.”
Baumgartner’s initial request for child support from Costner, 68, was for $175,057 per month, an increase of $46,000 or more over the $129,000 she is currently getting.
Rydell stated in his opening remarks that they were, however, lowering the desired sum to $161,592 per month in response to the most recent evaluation by a forensic accountant.
The revised figure is still far greater than Costner’s $60,000 monthly plan put forth by his attorneys during the hearing.
In response to her request for an increase, the mother of three stated that she wants more money so that their children can “live a lifestyle relatively comparable to the one they enjoy when they are with their father,” according to a brief acquired by TSZ Newz.
“The Court order must allow the children to be supported at a level commensurate with Kevin’s considerable wealth, even if that level of support also improves the standard of living of Christine,” her legal team argued.
This “standard of living” should, in Baumgartner’s opinion, include a “comparable house” to Costner’s $145 million mansion and “luxury vacations” taken on private planes.
“Because the children fly on private aircraft to go on luxury vacations when they are with their father, the Family Code dictates that Kevin should pay sufficient child support to Christine so that the children can go on comparable vacations when they are with her,” her lawyers stated in the brief.
Considering the possible financial gains of Baumgartner’s purported new romance and their existing $129,000-per-month arrangement, Coster argued that an increase in payment is not required.
Costner claimed at the court proceeding that Baumgartner’s new boyfriend recently paid her $20,000 in cash.
Although the person was not identified in the documents, insiders tell us that Josh Connor, who was seen on vacation with the former handbag designer in July, is the person Costner thinks she is seeing.
However, individuals close to the two at the time denied that they were dating.
Baumgartner and her attorney once more denied dating Connor when she testified.
After 18 years of marriage, Baumgartner filed for divorce on May 1 with the “Yellowstone” star, who she shares daughter Grace, 13, and boys Cayden, 16, and Hayes, 14.
