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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteChristine Baumgartner acknowledged receiving $20,000 from Josh Connor during the 2023 child-support dispute, but she testified that Connor was a friend, the money was a loan she intended to repay, and he was not her boyfriend. Kevin Costner’s filing characterized Connor as her boyfriend; that was his allegation, not a court finding. The judge set monthly child support at $63,209, below both the earlier temporary order and the amount Baumgartner requested at the later hearing.
Did Christine Baumgartner admit her boyfriend gave her money?
No. At the late-August/early-September 2023 hearing, Baumgartner answered “No” when asked whether Connor was her boyfriend. She acknowledged receiving $20,000 from him and testified that it was a loan: she had given half to her mother and intended to repay the rest. Costner’s filing described Connor as her boyfriend and questioned Baumgartner’s candor about her finances, but those claims were his position in the dispute, not findings that she had a boyfriend, concealed income, or received a gift. Entertainment Tonight reported the hearing testimony and ruling; Us Weekly reported on Costner’s filing.
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How much child support did Kevin Costner have to pay?
In September 2023, the judge ordered Costner to pay $63,209 per month in child support. That was a monthly base-support amount, separate from his responsibility for specified child-related expenses, including health care, private school, and extracurricular costs. Entertainment Tonight’s account of the order reports both the monthly amount and those additional obligations.
| Stage of the case | Monthly amount | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| Initial request | $248,000 | Baumgartner’s reported request early in the case, according to Walzer Melcher’s 2023 account. |
| Temporary order, June/July 2023 | $129,755 | Earlier monthly support order; Baumgartner was reported to have requested $248,000 at that stage, according to Walzer Melcher. |
| Request at the later hearing | $161,000 | Baumgartner’s request at the late-August/early-September hearing, as reported by Entertainment Tonight. |
| September 2023 order | $63,209 | Monthly base child support ordered by the judge, with specified health, school, and extracurricular costs addressed separately, according to Entertainment Tonight. |
The headline phrase “loses big” refers to the gap between Baumgartner’s requested monthly cash support and the amount ordered. It does not mean a judge found that she had acted dishonestly, and it does not account for the additional expenses Costner was ordered to cover.
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Why did the judge lower the child-support amount?
The dispute turned in part on competing views of Costner’s cash flow and whether unusually high earnings from Yellowstone should drive the support calculation. Entertainment Tonight reported that Costner’s accountants stated his average monthly cash flow for the 30 months ending June 30, 2023, was $1,308,920 when Yellowstone income was included, and $468,136 when it was excluded. These are figures presented by his accountants for that specific period, not a measure of his current income.
| Reported calculation | Average monthly cash flow | Period and attribution |
|---|---|---|
| Including Yellowstone income | $1,308,920 | Costner’s accountants’ stated average for the 30 months ending June 30, 2023, reported by Entertainment Tonight. |
| Excluding Yellowstone income | $468,136 | Costner’s accountants’ stated average for the same 30-month period, reported by Entertainment Tonight. |
The judge’s written summary, as quoted by Entertainment Tonight, said the requested formula “shows the application of the formula would be unjust and inappropriate in this case.” The outlet also quoted the judge as saying Costner’s “theory of the case preponderates.” These statements describe the judge’s assessment of the competing support arguments; they do not establish that Baumgartner’s testimony about Connor was false.
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When did the dispute end?
- May 2023: Baumgartner filed for divorce after nearly 19 years of marriage. The couple have three children together. The Associated Press reported the filing and family details.
- June/July 2023: A temporary order set support at $129,755 per month, according to Walzer Melcher.
- Late August/early September 2023: The parties presented their competing positions at a two-day hearing. Baumgartner testified about the $20,000 from Connor and denied that he was her boyfriend.
- September 2023: The judge set monthly support at $63,209. That month, the couple also announced a settlement and avoided a scheduled December trial; the settlement details were not immediately disclosed. The Associated Press reported the settlement.
- February 2024: The Associated Press reported that the divorce was finalized. Read its report on the finalization.
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