In the world of celebrities, lavish lifestyles are common, as are high-profile breakups that often grab headlines. Legal battles over child support usually end up with significant settlements.
Let’s explore ten of the priciest celebrity child support rulings. These cases redefine the meaning of luxury and have huge impacts that stretch far beyond the courtroom. Get ready for a look at numbers that might make you rethink your own expenses!
Terrell Owens: $45k/Month
Terrell Owens, a former NFL star wide receiver, has been in the news due to ongoing legal fights over child support payments. Owens has four kids with four different women and has been ordered to pay significant amounts each month, adding to his financial challenges.
One case involves Owens’ daughter with Melanie Smith, where he initially owed $20,000 in missed payments. Back in 2012, Owens paid this amount to avoid being arrested. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Owens pays a total of $44,600 each month for all four children.
These child support bills have weighed heavily on Owens, pushing him into a tough financial situation. Despite his successful NFL career, Owens claims to have no current income, so he’s seeking a reduction in his payments. However, the court has denied his requests, sticking with the original payment plan.
Owens’ struggles with child support and his financial problems were discussed on Dr. Phil in 2012, where he spoke about his “daddy drama” and the difficulties he faced in meeting his obligations.
Kelly Clarkson: $45k a Month
Kelly Clarkson is required to pay $45,000 each month in child support to her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, as part of their divorce settlement. This payment is for their two children, River Rose and Remington Alexander. Additionally, Clarkson pays her ex-husband $115,000 a month in spousal support until January 31, 2024.
Also, according to the settlement, Clarkson made a one-time, tax-free payment of $1,326,161 to Blackstock. The couple agreed that their children would fly private until they’re fully vaccinated, and Clarkson would reimburse Blackstock $50,000 for the children’s private air travel. Blackstock pays Clarkson $2,000 a month in rent to stay at the ranch until June while he looks for his own place.
Nas: $51k a Month
Rapper Nas was ordered by a Los Angeles family court judge to increase spousal and child support payments from $40,000 to $51,101 per month to his former wife, singer Kelis, and their son, Knight. Kelis currently receives $8,000 a month in child support but wants more because her monthly costs exceed $25,000. In May 2018, Nas reported that his monthly expenses were $76,834.04, with $20,245.70 going to help some of his family members. He also has rent to pay.
In 2010, a Los Angeles superior court judge ordered Nas to immediately pay over $47,249 in back child support and $40,454 in spousal support to Kelis. In May 2018, Nas shared his financial details after Kelis claimed that the $8,000 per month she was receiving wasn’t enough. A judge is still involved in the ongoing child support battle between the two.
Eddie Murphy: $35k a Month for One of Them
Eddie Murphy has ten kids, but only one gets a jaw-dropping child support payment. We’re talking about Angel, his daughter with Spice Girls singer Melanie Brown.
Originally, he was court-ordered to pay Mel B $25,000 a month starting in 2009. But in the fall of 2020, Mel asked for more because her own income had decreased substantially. In 2021, the court ordered Murphy to pay an extra $10,000 a month, bringing Angel’s support to $35,000.
Even though Murphy and Mel B’s relationship ended on rocky terms (he accused her of tricking him into the pregnancy), they seem to be on better terms now. In fact, Murphy even covered her legal fees.
While we don’t know how much he pays for his other children, we can guess that his total monthly child support bill is huge.
Sean Combs: $55k a Month
Sean Combs, also known as P. Diddy, has been ordered to pay child support for his children with his ex-girlfriends. Here’s a closer look at his payments:
In 2004, Combs was ordered to pay $35,000 a month to his ex, Misa Hylton-Brim. But when P. Diddy asked for a lower amount, the fashion stylist requested more. By 2005, Combs was required to pay an additional $21,000 each month.
But this isn’t the first child P. Diddy has had to pay support for. He also pays $20,000 a month to model Kim Porter for their son, Christian King. This was in addition to a $150,000 lump sum, a multi-million dollar life insurance policy, and promises to pay for college. The couple later reconciled and had twins, but Porter passed away in 2018 from lobar pneumonia.
In total, P. Diddy now has seven kids.
Brendan Fraser: $75k a Month
Brendan Fraser has been paying a lot of money in child support and alimony to his ex-wife, Afton Smith, since their divorce in 2009. According to their settlement, Fraser was responsible for paying $900,000 a year in alimony and child support for their three sons. Additionally, he was paying $50,000 per month in spousal support.
In 2013, Fraser asked to reduce his annual child support payment because he needed to earn around $2 million a year before taxes to cover the court-ordered alimony and child support.
Charlie Sheen: $80k a Month
Charlie Sheen has been ordered to pay child support to two of his ex-wives: Denise Richards and Brooke Mueller. The amount he’s been ordered to pay has been quite the rollercoaster.
In 2006, Sheen was ordered to pay $55,000 per month in child support to Richards for their two daughters, Sam and Lola. In 2011, Sheen was ordered to pay an additional $25,000 per month to Mueller for their twin sons, Bob and Max.
In 2016, Sheen filed a motion to lower the child support payments, citing his reduced income. The court agreed and lowered the payments to $20,000 per month for Richards and $10,000 per month for Mueller.
In 2021, Sheen filed another motion to lower the child support payments again, arguing that the payments were no longer necessary since both daughters were living with him full-time. The court agreed and ended the child support payments to Richards.
As of now, Sheen isn’t required to pay child support to either Richards or Mueller. However, he’s still responsible for covering 50% of the children’s medical and educational expenses.
A-Rod: $115k a Month
Alex Rodriguez was ordered to pay $115,000 per month in child support to his ex-wife, Cynthia Scurtis, in 2008. The couple had two daughters together, Natasha and Ella. The payments were supposed to be adjusted once Rodriguez retired from baseball, but he hasn’t been able to get them lowered.
In 2018, Rodriguez filed a motion to lower the payments, citing his reduced income since retiring from baseball. However, Scurtis’ lawyers argued that the payments should stay the same since they were based on Rodriguez’s income at the time of the divorce.
The case is still ongoing, and it’s unclear whether Rodriguez will be able to get the payments lowered.
Kanye West: $200k a Month
In the case of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, both parents have high incomes, and the cost of living in Los Angeles is very high. Because of this, West’s $200,000 per month child support payment isn’t unusual.
West is also responsible for 50% of the children’s medical and educational expenses and security costs.
The child support payments are a significant financial commitment for West. However, he has said that he’s dedicated to providing for his children. He’s also said that he appreciates the opportunity to co-parent with Kardashian and wants to do what’s best for the children.
Nick Cannon: $250k a Month
Nick Cannon has 12 children with four different women. He doesn’t pay monthly child support to any of the mothers. Instead, he has an informal agreement with them where he provides for their needs as they come up. This setup has worked well for Cannon and the mothers, allowing him to be more involved as a father.
He says that he spends well over $3 million a year on his kids.
Cannon doesn’t believe in the traditional child support system. He wants to be a hands-on father and provide for his children directly. He also believes that the traditional system can be unfair to fathers, often making them feel punished for having kids in the first place.
Cannon’s arrangement with the mothers of his children has received both praise and criticism. Some people think he’s setting a positive example by being more involved, while others believe he’s avoiding his financial duties. Ultimately, it’s up to Cannon and the mothers to decide what works best for them.
These celebrity child support cases highlight the financial realities of parenthood at the highest income levels. They also show the different ways families manage these obligations, from court-ordered payments to informal agreements. Each case is unique, reflecting the complexities of relationships and the varying needs of children.
What do you think about these child support arrangements? Leave your comment below!
