Dennis Quaid filed a petition on May 22 to terminate $13,750 in monthly child support for his twins, Thomas and Zoe, after they graduate high school on June 3, citing the terms of his 2018 divorce agreement with ex-wife Kimberly Buffington.
Dennis Quaid is asking a court to cut off his monthly child support—right as his twins reach the finish line.
On Friday. May 22. the actor filed a petition to terminate the $13. 750 payments for son Thomas and daughter Zoe. both 18. with the request tied to his 2018 divorce agreement with ex-wife Kimberly Buffington. In the filing. Quaid argued that the payments were meant to end “when a child completes 12th grade. ” a milestone both twins will hit on June 3.
The dispute isn’t only about the monthly figure. Under the existing arrangement. Quaid also pays Buffington an additional sum each year if. after evaluating his annual income. he earns more than $1. 314. 000. In his recent filing. he asked that any potential bonus amount be prorated up to the date of the children’s graduations.
Quaid and Buffington married in July 2004 and spent 12 years together before having twins in November 2007. Their divorce process began in March 2012, then paused briefly when the couple reconciled a month later. In October 2012. they split again. with Buffington filing for legal separation; that request was dismissed the following year when they returned to the relationship.
Buffington filed for divorce for the second time in 2016. At the time. the former couple confirmed the change in a statement to TMZ. saying. “After careful consideration. we have decided to end our 12 year marriage. The decision was made amicably and with mutual respect toward one another. We will always remain great friends and devoted partners in raising our children.”.
The divorce was finalized in 2018. Under their settlement agreement, Quaid and Buffington had joint legal and physical custody of Thomas and Zoe, with Buffington having the kids 75% of the time and Quaid 25% because of his “career and business schedule.”
The agreement also required financial payments beyond child support. Quaid agreed to pay Buffington a $2 million “spousal support buyout,” described as a non-modifiable lump sum in place of monthly payments, along with a $1 million “equalization payment” and half of their community property.
After the split, Quaid married Laura Savoie, 33, in 2020—his fourth marriage. He previously married actress P.J. Soles from 1978 to 1983 and Meg Ryan, with whom he shares son Jack Quaid, from 1991 to 2001.
The key question now for the court is simple but consequential: the twins’ graduation date is close. and Quaid is asking that both the $13. 750 monthly payments and any income-based additional sum be handled according to the divorce agreement’s “12th grade” endpoint—down to how the potential bonus would be prorated through June 3.
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