When news surfaced that Anamaria Goltes had filed a legal petition related to child support, many fans immediately began asking the same question: how much could NBA superstar Luka Doncic actually be required to pay?
The answer is not simple. The potential amount depends heavily on where the legal case is handled. Laws governing child support differ significantly between the United States and Europe, and in this situation there is an additional complication: reports indicate the children may currently be living in Slovenia, the home country of both Doncic and Goltes.
Because of that, the final number could vary dramatically depending on whether a court in California or Slovenia takes jurisdiction.
If the case were handled in California
If the legal petition were filed and processed in California, where Doncic spends much of his time during the NBA season, the calculation would follow California’s child support guidelines.
California courts typically determine support using a formula that considers:
Each parent’s income
The amount of time each parent spends with the children
Childcare and health expenses
The living standards of the parents
Doncic currently earns more than $40 million per year under his NBA contract, which means his monthly income exceeds $3 million before taxes. Under California’s formula, high-income earners often pay a significant portion of that income in child support. While the exact percentage varies depending on custody arrangements and deductions, legal experts often estimate roughly between 10% and 20% of net monthly income in many high earning cases involving two children.
Using a very rough illustrative calculation, that could place the potential support range somewhere around:
$200,000 to $600,000 per month.
However, it is important to emphasize that California courts sometimes adjust formulas for extremely high incomes, and many celebrity cases are resolved through private settlements rather than strict formula calculations.
If the case were handled in Slovenia
The outcome could look very different if the case were decided in Slovenia, where both Doncic and Goltes are from and where the children reportedly reside. Slovenian family law approaches child support differently from the American system. Instead of focusing heavily on maintaining the lifestyle of the higher earning parent, courts generally prioritize covering the reasonable needs of the children, while also considering the financial situation of both parents.
Factors typically include:
The child’s living expenses
Housing and education
Healthcare and daily care
Each parent’s income and responsibilities
While Slovenian law does not rely on a strict nationwide percentage formula like California’s, courts often aim for support that reflects the child’s real needs rather than the full earning capacity of a wealthy parent.
In practice, this often results in lower monthly figures than in U.S. celebrity cases, though the amounts can still be substantial when a parent earns millions.
A very broad estimate in such a scenario might fall somewhere in the range of: $20,000 to $100,000 per month depending on how the court evaluates the children’s lifestyle, housing, schooling, and international travel needs. Again, these figures are illustrative estimates rather than legal predictions.
Why many cases never reach court
Another important factor is that many high-profile athletes in the NBA choose to settle child support matters privately rather than through lengthy legal disputes.
These agreements often include:
Monthly support payments
Housing arrangements
Education funding
Travel expenses
Trust funds for the children
Because of those private arrangements, the exact financial terms frequently remain confidential.
What is clear is that the potential range could vary widely depending on where the case is resolved, with American courts typically producing much higher financial outcomes than European systems.
For now, the situation surrounding Luka Doncic and Anamaria Goltes remains a developing story, one that could hinge less on basketball contracts and more on international family law, but perhaps most importantly on the civil and fair agreement both sides may ultimately reach.
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