Breaking up can be expensive in Tinseltown…
We’ve all heard stories of A-list stars having to fork out huge child support payments to their former partners, and some of the numbers are eye-watering.
If you’re a high-earning movie star and your family is accustomed to a certain lifestyle, then those monthly maintenance payments are going to set you back a dollar or two.
From Kevin Costner to Britney Spears, find out what the Hollywood elite pay their exes in child support below…
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner are in the midst of a bitter divorce battle
Bodyguard actor Kevin Costner is currently in the midst of a divorce battle with his soon-to-be ex-wife, Christine Baumgartner and a recent judge’s ruling decided the star’s child support contributions.
Kevin, 68, faces a significant monthly payout of $129,755, which notably exceeds what the Yellowstone star initially proposed to his estranged wife.
Healthcare costs for their three children, Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13, will be shared equally between the estranged couple. Similarly, their children’s high-end private school fees and other extracurricular expenses will be split.
The current figure for child support isn’t conclusive, however, TMZ notes that such figures rarely deviate significantly from the initial determination.
Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry
© Photo: Getty Images
Halle Berry pays her ex Gabriel Aubrey child support for daughter Nahla, 14
Halle Berry shares her daughter Nahla, 14, with her ex-partner Gabriel Aubry. The former couple split in 2010 and a custody battle ensued.
The Catwoman actress paid Gabriel $16,000 per month in child support for Nahla from 2014, as well as backdated payments of $115,000 and cover the cost of their daughter’s school fees.
In 2014, Halle filed court documents asking a judge to reduce the amount of money she was paying Gabriel and reportedly wanted the sum dropped from $16,000 to $3,800 a month.
A document submitted to the court by the actress and her lawyer at that time allegedly stated: “There is no case, no law, no logic that says a healthy, active man gets to simply live off child support that the wealthier mother earns.”
Halle also has a nine-year-old son, Maceo, with ex-husband, Olivier Martinez.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
© Getty
Tom Cruise allegedly pays ex-wife Katie Holmes $400,000 a month until their daughter Suri turns 18
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes divorced in 2012, after six years of marriage and the former couple share one daughter, Suri Cruise together. Suri is now 17.
Following their divorce, Katie got full custody of their daughter, and they now live in New York City. Although Tom agreed to pay his ex-wife $400,000 a year in child support until Suri turns 18, he hasn’t been publicly seen with her since 2012.
Tom also reportedly agreed to pay for Suri’s medical and dental bills, insurance and education.
Britney Spears and Kevin Federline
Britney Spears reportedly pays ex-husband Kevin Federline $35,000 a month in child support
Singer Britney was married to Kevin between 2004 and 2007. In 2008, the star lost sole custody of their children Preston, now 17, and Jayden, 16, after a very public breakdown after which she was put under the conservatorship of her father.
US Weekly reported that Britney paid Kevin $20,000 a month in child support. In 2018 the amount was thought to have been increased to $35,000 a month.
In the 2021 documentary, Framing Britney, a lawyer for Britney claimed that the star allowed the highly-publicised conservatorship to exist, which allowed a guardian to make decisions for her, so she could see her sons and retain joint custody over them back in 2008.
However, in 2019, a judge granted Kevin 70 per cent custody of Preston and Jayden after a restraining order was filed against Jamie Spears, Britney’s dad and former conservator.
Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock
© Getty Images
Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock’s divorce was finalised in 2022
Singer Kelly Clarkson and her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock had a lengthy and tumultuous divorce, which began in 2020 after nine years of marriage and was finalized in 2022. The former couple share two children, River Rose, nine, and Remington ‘Remy’ Alexander, seven.
Following Kelly and Brandon’s divorce, the ‘Walk Away’ singer must pay him $115,000 each month in spousal support until January 2024.
Brandon also receives $45,601 a month in child support, even though Kelly has primary custody of their two children, and he has one weekend a month to spend with them.
Speaking during Audacy’s I’m Listening initiative, Kelly hinted that her children have felt “angry” and “hurt” since the split but praised their ability to express their feelings, something she admits she never did as a child.
“I think it’s just a really cool thing that my little girl or my little boy will walk in the room and be like, ‘Look, I’m feeling angry right now, and I don’t know why,’ or, ‘Look, I’m feeling hurt right now, or this hurt my feelings,” she said.