14 DAY TRIAL // Jon and Kate Gosselin are officially single, as their divorce was pronounced final the other day, as we also reported just hours ago. Jon says in a recent press statement that he’ll do his best to provide for the eight children he has with Kate, but that might be beyond his means right now, TMZ has learned.
Kate asked for both spousal and child support in the early stages of the divorce proceedings, and was awarded the latter. This in itself would not be a problem for Jon, who has his cut of the proceedings from the TLC show, “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” if it weren’t for the 5-figure sum the judge set. The former reality dad is now in quite a pickle, TMZ says, because he neither has that kind of money nor the possibility to earn it because of the lawsuit with the television network.
“Jon Gosselin is in immediate financial trouble now that his divorce from Kate Gosselin is final... because he got nailed with huge child support payments and has no real way of paying... sources tell TMZ. We’ve learned under the arbitrator’s award, Jon must make huge child support payments – we’re told 5 figures a month. And here’s the problem. TLC has now shut down Jon’s ability to take outside jobs. The irony – he did himself in,” TMZ writes.
“We’ve also learned Jon was charged every penny of the $235,000 that he withdrew from their joint account. That amount was deducted from his piece of the settlement. As for Jon’s claim that Kate should be docked for money she withdrew... we’ve learned Jon struck out. The arbitrator determined every penny she withdrew was for the benefit of the kids. Under the terms of the divorce decree, Kate has primary custody and Jon gets visitation – both Jon and Kate agreed to that in advance. And, they agreed, neither party would get spousal support,” the same media outlet further informs.
Many believe that, with this recent development, Jon got what he deserved because he did this to himself. Mr. Gosselin blocked production on the aforementioned reality show earlier this year, saying TLC, the network, was exploiting his children. In response, TLC countersued him for breach of contract (he was bound exclusively to the network), indefinitely barring him from making any money from media deals.