Britney Spears and Kevin Federline ‘Cordial’ Until Money Battle, Source Says

The co-parenting relationship between Britney Spears and Kevin Federline is currently on the rocks, but things were not always that way.

Entertainment Tonight spoke with a source close to the exes, who revealed that things were actually quite good between the pair when in came to parenting their two children. Spears and Federline, who divorced in 2007, were getting along fine until Spears had more available time to keep their Sean Preston, 12, and Jayden James, 11.

“Britney and Kevin had a cordial relationship until Kevin started asking for more money. Now they only speak through attorneys,” the source said. “Last summer, Britney offered to take the boys more often and even discussed having more custody. That seems to be what started this entire ordeal.”

Following that alleged discussion, Federline put several legal actions in motion in an attempt to receive more child support from the “Toxic” singer. The former professional dancer is pushing the argument that the kids’ lifestyle at his home is far less lavish than at Spears’ home. This would possibly cause the boys to favor time with Spears.

That conflict is still brewing, with Spears reportedly being subpoenaed for a deposition with Federline’s legal team. Because of this ordeal, the pair are not attending their children’s events together.

“Things have changed over the last year,” the source said. “Britney and Kevin used to attend the same baseball games and birthday parties together but their relationship has been damaged because of Kevin’s demands for increase in his current child support. Kevin is claiming there is far too much of a discrepancy between how they live at his home compared to Britney’s.”

However, the source alleges that the favoritism argument is just a smoke screen for Federline’s true concern: declining child support payments. Some are alleging that he is worried that Spears’ desires to keep Sean and Jayden more will mean he gets a smaller child support check.

“Some of Kevin’s friends think he feels threatened because Britney is doing so well that she might not need him to have the kids as much anymore. Therefore, his child support might plummet,” the source said. “Kevin needs that money to keep up the lifestyle that he has become accustomed to.”

As for Spears and the kids, the source says that they are better than ever. Spears has fully rebounded from all her past issues, and the boys are still loved and taken care by both parents, despite their ongoing dispute.

“Britney is truly on track. She looks great, and feels great and loves being with her kids. She has come such a long way since she and Kevin first split,” the source shares. “[The children] are truly well behaved and happy, good kids, thanks to the support of so many family members.”

Federline and Spears have not commented on this latest report.