'Modern Family' Creator's Nasty Email to Ex

Steve Levitan's estranged wife is just out for a petty cash grab in their divorce ... at least that's how the "Modern Family" creator put it in a very candid email to her.

Levitan set the tone right off the bat, starting the email with ... "Krista Schmuck." We should point out ... that's her maiden name, but there's a chance he was going for a double entendre.

In the email -- which was filed in their divorce case -- Steve warns Krista she's going to have to blow millions on her lawyers just to get a dime out of him. He also calls her out for having loose lips -- and says he wishes she handled the split more like Ben Affleck and Jen Garner ... or Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin.