Colorado calculates child support with a formula called the Income Shares Model, based on BOTH parents' incomes and the number of overnights, using a free official calculator. The result is presumptive, not just a suggestion.

Under C.R.S. § 14-10-115, Colorado uses the Income Shares Model, which aims to give children roughly the share of parental income they'd have received if the family were intact. The calculation combines both parents' monthly adjusted gross incomes, looks up the basic support obligation on a statutory schedule based on combined income and number of children, and then splits that obligation between the parents in proportion to their incomes. The parents' number of overnights with the children, plus add-ons like the children's health insurance, work-related childcare, and extraordinary medical expenses, adjust the final number.

Unlike maintenance, the child support guideline is presumptive. This means that the judge starts from the calculated number and needs a good reason to deviate. The Colorado Judicial Branch offers a free official child support calculator, so you can run your own estimate before you ever see a lawyer.

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Location

Colorado

Colorado, USA