Secret Behind Kevin Costner's Drastic Decision: Christine Baumgartner's Credit Card Limit Cut to $30,000 Monthly

Kevin Costner alleges that he was compelled to lower the credit card limit of his estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, during their divorce proceedings. In documents obtained on July 5th, Costner, aged 68, stated that he had agreed to preserve the existing situation concerning their children while the legal process remains ongoing. They have three children together: Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13.

According to Costner's declaration, Christine claims that he failed to maintain the status quo by canceling one of her credit cards and imposing a significant limit on the usage of her remaining credit card. Costner stated that he has continued to cover all of their children's expenses since Baumgartner initiated the divorce proceedings in May, after almost 19 years of marriage. The documents also indicate that there is no evidence to suggest that the children's needs have been affected by the restrictions imposed on Christine's credit card spending.

Baumgartner is limited to a monthly expenditure of "a considerable sum of $30,000," as per Costner's decision upon discovering that his ex-partner was using credit cards for large payments to support her divorce lawyers and accountants. "She never informed me beforehand about these transactions," he alleged.

Christine Baumgartner and Kevin Costner at the SAG Awards (Photo: Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)

In June, Costner graciously offered an extra $65,000 to cover Baumgartner's legal fees. However, he alleges that she declined his offer and proceeded to charge an additional $45,000 without informing him, all to secure new representation.

“I realized that there should be a reasonable restriction on the utilization of the credit cards,” he penned.

Baumgartner’s attorney, Laura Wasser, detailed the alteration in his credit card restriction in a letter dated June 16. The communication asserted that Costner had to “terminate” the card due to unavoidable circumstances. (Originally, he had established a monthly spending limit of $15,000, which he thought would adequately address any unforeseen necessities concerning the children.)

According to court documents, Costner previously stated that Baumgartner has spent a total of $95,000 since April. In addition, he claimed that she planned to use a significant portion of the $248,000 she requested for child support payments on personal expenses such as a private trainer and plastic surgery. Costner also alleged that his ex-wife spent $188,500 per month on surgeries.

However, Costner recently stated that he cannot afford Baumgartner's high child support request, particularly since he is no longer employed with his show Yellowstone. In a filing submitted on June 28, he argued that his earnings in 2023 will be substantially less than they were in 2022.

Costner, who has played the role of John Dutton on the family drama since it premiered in 2018, has not received any payment from the show this year. In May, Paramount announced that the fifth season of Yellowstone would be its last, but the release of the second half of the season has been delayed due to reported tension between Costner and creator Taylor Sheridan.

While dealing with ongoing issues with Baumgartner, Costner achieved a small win when a judge denied her request to stay in their shared home until August. Baumgartner was instructed to vacate the premises by July 31 after claiming that she did not have enough money to find a new place to live.

"I strongly oppose the idea of cohabitating with Christine or allowing her to access my property in the future. ... Moreover, I firmly believe that it is detrimental to our children's well-being for Christine and I to reside in the same house or own the same property, considering her allegations and the divisive atmosphere it has created," expressed Costner in court documents prior to the judge's ruling.