In this blog we occasionally discuss celebrity divorce stories, on the theory that what celebrities go through in the divorce process is not that different from the experiences of ordinary Colorado citizens dealing with the end of a marriage. The difference, of course, is that when it comes to property division, alimony and child support, the numbers tend to be bigger in a celebrity divorce.
In some cases, the numbers are much bigger. A good example is provided by the recent divorce of Stevie Wonder from his second wife, fashion designer Kai Millard Morris. Under the terms of that divorce, which was finalized on October 5, Wonder will pay $25,000 a month in child support for the couple’s two sons, ages 10 and 14.
Wonder and his ex-wife were married in 2001 and have been separated since September of 2009. Wonder commenced divorce proceedings in Los Angeles three years ago. The couple will share joint custody of the two boys.
This story shows that no matter how wealthy a parent is, the obligation to devote a significant portion of one’s earnings to supporting your children does not end with divorce. In Colorado, the amount of a noncustodial parent’s child support obligation is calculated based on child support guidelines which take into account the noncustodial parent’s income. Colorado is one of the few states, however, in which the income of the custodial parent is also taken into account. This “income shares” model is based on the theory that the child is entitled to a share of the combined incomes of both parents.
Source: Los Angeles Times, “Los Angeles judge finalizes Stevie Wonder’s divorce,” Oct. 7, 2015