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“Less than a year after Nicole Richie and Joel Madden finally tied the knot, big problems are rocking their marriage,” reports Star magazine.

The tabloid claims things have gotten so bad between the couple that “Nicole has spent a few nights away from their Hollywood Hils home and taken the kids with her.”

A so-called “friend” of Richie’s reveals, “She spent time at her mom’s on and off,” noting that the “Fashion Star” judge is “hoping that some space between her and Joel will fix things.”

So, what sort of issues is the pair having?

Madden is allegedly “upset that Nicole is spending so much time on work and not with the family,” the supposed “friend” claims.

Umm… isn’t this the same argument the Enquirer, which is owned by the same company as Star, used last week to claim the couple was having problems – except it was Richie complaining that Madden worked too much?

Well, aside from running contradictory stories a week apart, the tabloids have something else in common.

They’re both completely WRONG about Richie and Madden’s relationship.

A source close to Richie tells Gossip Cop the Star‘s story is simply “not true.”

Richie and Madden are doing just fine, and looked adorable together in the photo (below) she tweeted from her 30th birthday party last night with the caption, “Mr. & Mrs Over The Hill.”

Check out more PHOTOS from Nicole’s birthday bash!

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