Colorado Child Support
How Colorado Calculates Child Support
Colorado uses an income shares model, meaning both parents' gross incomes are combined to determine what support the children would have received if the household had stayed intact. That combined figure is then divided proportionally based on each parent's share of total income.
The result is documented on one of two worksheets:
- Worksheet A applies when one parent has primary physical care, typically defined as the children spending fewer than 93 overnights per year with the non-primary parent.
- Worksheet B applies in shared parenting arrangements, where the non-primary parent has 93 or more overnights annually. The overnight count directly affects the support obligation, and even small differences in the parenting schedule can shift the calculation significantly.
Beyond base income, the formula accounts for the cost of work-related childcare, health insurance premiums paid for the children, and any extraordinary medical or educational expenses. These additions are not optional, they are part of the statutory calculation.
What Is Worksheet B in Colorado Child Support?
Worksheet B is the calculation method used when parenting time is shared more equally between the parents. It applies when the non-primary parent has at least 93 overnights per year with the children.
Under Worksheet B, both parents' incomes and overnight counts are entered into the formula simultaneously. The resulting support amount reflects the cost of maintaining two households for the children, rather than simply transferring money from one household to another. Because the overnight threshold matters so much, parenting time disputes and child support disputes are often connected, a schedule change can trigger a support recalculation.
If your parenting plan is close to the 93-overnight threshold, or if you're negotiating a new schedule, it's worth understanding exactly how the numbers shift before you agree to anything.
How Much Child Support Will I Pay in Colorado?
The honest answer is: it depends on the specific numbers in your case. The Colorado child support calculator produces a presumptive amount, a figure the court is expected to follow unless a party demonstrates that deviation is in the children's best interests.
Factors that affect the final number include:
- Each parent's verified gross monthly income (wages, self-employment income, rental income, investment income, and imputed income if a parent is voluntarily underemployed)
- The number of overnights each parent has with the children
- The cost of the children's health insurance
- Work-related childcare costs
- Any prior support obligations for children from other relationships
Self-employment income and variable income: bonuses, commissions, seasonal work are among the most contested areas. I work with financial records carefully to make sure the income figure used in the calculation is accurate and defensible, whether I'm representing the paying parent or the receiving parent.
College Expenses and Post-Secondary Support in Colorado
Colorado is one of a minority of states that allows courts to order parents to contribute to a child's post-secondary education expenses, including college tuition, room and board, and related costs. This authority exists under CRS 14-10-115 and applies even after a child reaches the age of majority.
Courts consider both parents' financial resources, the child's own resources and academic performance, and whether the child is making reasonable academic progress. These orders are not automatic, they require a motion and a hearing, and the outcome depends heavily on how the request is framed and supported.
If your divorce decree or parenting plan is silent on college expenses, that doesn't mean the door is closed. A post-decree motion can raise the issue, and I can help you evaluate whether pursuing it makes sense given your circumstances.
When Child Support Can Be Modified
A Colorado child support order can be modified when there has been a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. Courts generally apply a threshold of a 10% or greater change in the calculated support amount before granting a modification, though the underlying change can take many forms.
Common grounds for modification include:
- A significant increase or decrease in either parent's income
- A change in the children's health insurance coverage or childcare costs
- A change in the parenting schedule that crosses the Worksheet A / Worksheet B threshold
- A child reaching the age of emancipation
- A parent becoming incarcerated or experiencing a documented medical disability
Modifications are not retroactive to the date circumstances changed, they take effect from the date the motion is filed. If your situation has shifted, waiting to act costs money. I help clients move quickly and accurately through the modification process.
Why Child Support Cases Require More Than a Calculator
The Colorado child support calculator is a public tool, and many people run the numbers themselves before consulting an attorney. That's a reasonable starting point, but the calculator is only as accurate as the inputs.
Income disputes, undisclosed assets, self-employment cash flow, and imputed income arguments all require legal analysis and, often, financial documentation. The same is true for deviations from the presumptive amount, which require a showing that the standard calculation doesn't serve the children's best interests in a specific case.
I've handled child support matters as part of divorce cases, post-decree modifications, unmarried parent proceedings, and contempt actions for over 30 years. I know where the numbers get contested and how to build or defend a position effectively.
If you're dealing with a support matter connected to parenting time, the child custody page covers how those two issues interact.
Frequently Asked Questions About Colorado Child Support
How is child support calculated in Colorado?
Colorado uses an income shares model that combines both parents' gross incomes and divides the resulting support obligation proportionally. The calculation also factors in childcare costs, health insurance premiums, and extraordinary expenses. The result is recorded on either Worksheet A (primary custody) or Worksheet B (shared parenting with 93+ overnights).
What is Worksheet B in Colorado child support?
Worksheet B is used when the non-primary parent has at least 93 overnights per year with the children. It accounts for the costs of maintaining two active households and typically results in a lower support obligation than Worksheet A, because both parents are directly absorbing more of the children's day-to-day expenses.
Can child support be modified after a divorce in Colorado?
Yes. Either parent can file a motion to modify support when there has been a substantial and continuing change in circumstances — generally defined as a 10% or greater shift in the calculated amount. The modification takes effect from the date the motion is filed, not the date circumstances changed.
Does Colorado require parents to pay for college?
Colorado courts have the authority to order post-secondary education support under CRS 14-10-115, even after a child turns 19. These orders are not automatic — they require a motion, and the court weighs both parents' financial resources, the child's academic performance, and the reasonableness of the expenses.
What happens if a parent doesn't pay court-ordered child support in Colorado?
Nonpayment of child support can result in contempt of court proceedings, wage garnishment, interception of tax refunds, suspension of driver's or professional licenses, and in serious cases, jail time. If you're owed support that isn't being paid, a contempt action is often the most direct path to enforcement.
How does self-employment income affect child support in Colorado?
Self-employment income is included in the calculation, but it requires careful documentation — tax returns, profit-and-loss statements, and business records. Courts can also impute income to a self-employed parent if they find the reported income doesn't reflect actual earning capacity. This is one of the most frequently contested areas in support disputes.