Nicole Kidman will have custody of daughters Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 15, for 306 days per year under the divorce settlement finalized in January 2026 with Keith Urban, according to Us Weekly. Urban receives just 59 days annually. Both parties waived spousal support and child support entirely after 19 years of marriage — a rare arrangement that raises practical questions about how Tennessee handles parenting time and support waivers in high-net-worth divorces.
Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| What happened | Full custody terms of the Kidman-Urban divorce settlement were publicly revealed |
| When | Divorce finalized January 2026; settlement details reported March 2026 |
| Where filed | Tennessee (the couple's primary residence was Nashville) |
| Custody split | Kidman: 306 days/year (83.8%); Urban: 59 days/year (16.2%) |
| Support | Both spousal support and child support mutually waived |
| Key statute | T.C.A. § 36-6-106 (best interest factors for custody) |
| Marriage duration | 19 years (married June 2006, divorced January 2026) |
What a 306-Day Custody Split Actually Means Under Tennessee Law
Tennessee courts determine custody — called "residential parenting time" under T.C.A. § 36-6-106 — based on 15 statutory best-interest factors. A 306-to-59 day split gives Kidman roughly 83.8% of annual overnights and designates her as the primary residential parent. Urban's 59 days amount to about 8 weeks, which likely maps to portions of school breaks, holidays, and periodic weekends.
This arrangement is not unheard of in Tennessee, but it sits well outside the norm. Tennessee's default parenting schedule for parents living in the same county provides the non-primary parent a minimum of 80 days per year under the state's child support guidelines worksheet. When parents live in different counties or states, the standard alternate schedule drops to approximately 69 days. Urban's 59 days falls below even that reduced threshold.
Tennessee law requires every divorce involving minor children to include a permanent parenting plan filed with the court under T.C.A. § 36-6-404. That parenting plan must detail the residential schedule, holiday allocation, decision-making authority for education, healthcare, and extracurricular activities, and a dispute resolution process. Whether the Kidman-Urban plan was negotiated through mediation or collaborative divorce, Tennessee courts must still approve it as serving the children's best interests before it becomes a court order.
How Tennessee Handles Support Waivers in High-Net-Worth Cases
Both Kidman and Urban waived spousal support (called "alimony" under T.C.A. § 36-5-121) and child support. The spousal support waiver is straightforward — Tennessee allows spouses to contractually waive alimony, and when both parties have independent wealth (Kidman's net worth is estimated at $250 million, Urban's at $75 million according to Celebrity Net Worth), courts rarely question the decision.
The child support waiver is more legally complex. Under T.C.A. § 36-5-101, both parents have a legal obligation to support their minor children. Tennessee's child support guidelines under T.C.A. § 36-5-103 use an income shares model that calculates support based on both parents' combined adjusted gross income and the number of parenting days each parent exercises.
Tennessee courts can approve a deviation from the guideline amount — including a zero-dollar support order — when both parents demonstrate the children's needs are being fully met. In a case where each parent individually earns millions of dollars annually, a court can reasonably find that both households provide more than adequate financial support, making a formal transfer payment unnecessary. The court must document the deviation reason in writing under T.C.A. § 36-5-103(f).
For most Tennessee families, waiving child support entirely is not realistic and courts would not approve it. The Kidman-Urban arrangement reflects the financial reality of two independently wealthy parents, not a precedent that typical divorcing couples should expect to replicate.
Reports of Children Taking Sides: What Tennessee Law Says
Multiple outlets report that Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret have "taken Kidman's side" and that Kidman and Urban have stopped communicating entirely. Tennessee law addresses both of these dynamics.
Under T.C.A. § 36-6-106(a)(6), one of the 15 best-interest factors is the "willingness and ability of each parent to facilitate and encourage a close and continuing parent-child relationship" with the other parent. A parent who actively encourages children to take sides — called parental alienation in family law practice — risks modification of the custody arrangement. Tennessee courts have modified custody based on alienation findings in multiple reported appellate decisions.
At ages 17 and 15, both children are old enough that Tennessee courts would consider their preferences. Under T.C.A. § 36-6-106(a)(7), the court may consider a child's reasonable preference if the child is 12 years of age or older. The preference is one factor among 15, not determinative, but it carries meaningful weight at these ages.
Tennessee also requires parents to complete a 4-hour parenting education seminar under T.C.A. § 36-6-408 in all custody cases. The seminar specifically addresses the impact of parental conflict on children and strategies for co-parenting communication.
Practical Takeaways for Tennessee Residents
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A parenting plan is mandatory in every Tennessee divorce with minor children. You cannot finalize a divorce without one, regardless of whether custody is contested or agreed upon. The plan must comply with T.C.A. § 36-6-404 requirements.
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Tennessee's child support guidelines create a presumptive obligation. Deviating from that amount — especially to zero — requires documented justification that the children's needs are being met. Most families will not qualify for a complete waiver.
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Children aged 12 and older can express a custody preference to the court, but it is one of 15 factors under Tennessee law. No single factor controls the outcome.
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If your co-parent stops communicating, Tennessee courts view that negatively. The ability to co-parent cooperatively is an explicit statutory factor in custody determinations, and ongoing communication failures can support a motion to modify custody.
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Spousal support waivers in Tennessee are enforceable when made voluntarily and with full financial disclosure. If you are considering waiving alimony, ensure you have independent legal counsel review the long-term financial implications before signing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Tennessee parents agree to waive child support entirely?
Yes, but the court must approve it. Under T.C.A. § 36-5-103, Tennessee courts can allow a zero-dollar deviation from the child support guidelines when both parents demonstrate the children's financial needs are fully met by each household independently. This typically occurs only in high-income cases where both parents earn substantially above the guideline income cap.
What is the standard parenting time split in Tennessee?
Tennessee's guidelines provide the non-primary parent a minimum of 80 days per year when parents live within the same county, dropping to approximately 69 days when parents reside in different counties. Under T.C.A. § 36-6-106, the court can order any schedule that serves the children's best interests, and equal 182.5-day splits are increasingly common in contested cases.
At what age can a child choose which parent to live with in Tennessee?
Tennessee law under T.C.A. § 36-6-106(a)(7) allows courts to consider a child's reasonable preference at age 12 or older. The preference is not controlling — it is one of 15 best-interest factors. Even at 17, a Tennessee court can override a child's stated preference if other factors weigh against it.
Can a Tennessee custody order be modified if one parent stops communicating?
Yes. A material change in circumstances can justify custody modification under T.C.A. § 36-6-101. A parent's refusal to communicate or co-parent effectively falls under the statutory factor evaluating each parent's willingness to facilitate the other parent's relationship with the children. Tennessee courts have modified custody based on communication breakdowns and parental alienation.
Does Tennessee require a waiting period before divorce is final?
Tennessee imposes a mandatory waiting period of 60 days for divorces without minor children and 90 days for divorces involving minor children under T.C.A. § 36-4-101(b). The waiting period begins when the divorce complaint is filed, not when the parties separate. No exceptions exist, even for agreed divorces.
High-profile divorces generate headlines, but the legal framework applies the same way whether you are a celebrity in Nashville or a teacher in Knoxville. Tennessee's custody and support statutes are designed to protect children's interests regardless of the parents' net worth.
If you are navigating a Tennessee divorce and have questions about custody arrangements or support obligations, connecting with a local family law attorney is the most effective next step.
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This article discusses recent news and provides general legal commentary. It does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique. Consult a qualified family law attorney for advice specific to your situation.