How Long Does Alimony Last in Colorado?
Alimony, often called spousal maintenance or spousal support in Colorado, refers to periodic payments made by a higher-earning spouse to a lower-earning spouse during and/or after a divorce or legal separation. The court has the authority to order permanent spousal maintenance payments or limit these payments to a specific time period. Read this article to learn more about how long you can receive alimony in Colorado.
Bottom Line
How long you can receive alimony payments depends largely on the length of your marriage, but courts will consider multiple other factors when making these determinations.
Want to calculate your own alimony payments?
Try our interactive alimony calculator to calculate your estimated alimony payments.
Why Do Courts Award Alimony?
Spousal maintenance exists to limit the disparate economic impacts of divorce by providing financial support to the lower-earning spouse. In some marriages, one spouse is the breadwinner while the other takes care of the home and children, especially if the children are very young.
If you chose to forego a career to raise your kids, re-entering the workforce can be difficult. Spousal maintenance is meant to serve as an economic buffer while you develop the necessary job skills to support yourself.
Alimony Can be Temporary or Long-Term
Colorado courts can award two types of spousal maintenance: temporary maintenance during the divorce process or long-term maintenance after the divorce is final.
How Long Does Temporary Maintenance Last?
Temporary maintenance is sometimes called separation alimony. If one spouse cannot financially support themselves while the divorce is pending, a judge can order the higher-earning spouse to pay spousal maintenance on a temporary basis. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-114(4)
Temporary maintenance ends when the divorce is finalized. At that time, spousal support will kick in if it was awarded.
Can I Get Alimony For the Rest of My Life?
It’s possible, but rare. Lifelong alimony is typically only awarded in cases where a spouse cannot easily find employment due to advanced age, poor health, or when a couple was married for 20 years or longer:
“While the court may, in its discretion, award permanent maintenance, it is not required to do so.” In re Marriage of Fisher, 931 P.2d 558, 558 (Colo. App. 1996)
So How Long Can I Get Alimony?
Many people want to know: how long does alimony last in Colorado? State law sets forth advisory guidelines for spousal maintenance awards in marriages lasting at least three years but not longer than 20 years.
If you were married for less than three years, the court may award maintenance if “given the circumstances of the parties, the distribution of marital property is insufficient to achieve an equitable result.” C.R.S. § 14-10-114(3)(h).
If you and your spouse have been married for three years, you could owe alimony for 11 months, or 31 percent of the marriage. That percentage increases the longer you’re married. For example, if you were married for five years, the law recommends alimony for 35 percent of that time.
State Law Caps How Long You Can Receive Alimony
You will generally not be required to pay maintenance for more than half the time you were married. Once you’ve been married for 12 and a half years, the maintenance term becomes 50 percent of the length of the marriage. If you were married for 20 years, you could receive alimony for 10 years.
If your marriage lasted longer than 20 years, the court can award maintenance for either a specific amount of time or indefinitely. However, the court may not legally award maintenance for a shorter duration than specified under the guidelines for a 20-year marriage without making specific findings to support a shorter term. C.R.S. § 14-10-114
What Else Does the Court Consider?
The length of your marriage is not the sole determining factor the court considers when determining how long to order maintenance payments. The court will take into account all relevant factors, including:
the financial resources of both you and your spouse
your lifestyle during the marriage
the employment history, and employability, of both you and your spouse
the age and health of you and your spouse
contributions to the marriage, and
whether your maintenance payments are deductible for federal tax purposes
How Does Alimony Work in Colorado? Call to Find Out.
A favorable spousal maintenance agreement can make all the difference when starting anew after a divorce. Our family law attorneys can help understand how alimony works in Colorado and help you safeguard your financial future. Call 303-688-0944 today to begin your case assessment.
How Long Does Alimony Last in Colorado?
If your marriage lasted longer than three years but not more than 20, you can use this table to determine how long the court may recommend spousal maintenance in your case:
Months of Marriage | Percentage | Guideline Term of Maintenance |
36 | 31% | 11 months |
37 | 31.17% | 12 months |
38 | 31.33% | 12 months |
39 | 31.5% | 12 months |
40 | 31.67% | 13 months |
41 | 31.83% | 13 months |
42 | 32% | 13 months |
43 | 32.17% | 14 months |
44 | 32.33% | 14 months |
45 | 32.5% | 15 months |
46 | 32.67% | 15 months |
47 | 32.83% | 15 months |
48 | 33% | 16 months |
49 | 33.17% | 16 months |
50 | 33.33% | 17 months |
51 | 33.5% | 17 months |
52 | 33.67% | 18 months |
53 | 33.83% | 18 months |
54 | 34% | 18 months |
55 | 34.17% | 19 months |
56 | 34.33% | 19 months |
57 | 34.5% | 20 months |
58 | 34.67% | 20 months |
59 | 34.83% | 21 months |
60 | 35% | 21 months |
61 | 35.17% | 21 months |
62 | 35.33% | 22 months |
63 | 35.5% | 22 months |
64 | 35.67% | 23 months |
65 | 35.83% | 23 months |
66 | 36% | 24 months |
67 | 36.17% | 24 months |
68 | 36.33% | 25 months |
69 | 36.5% | 25 months |
70 | 36.67% | 26 months |
71 | 36.83% | 26 months |
72 | 37% | 27 months |
73 | 37.17% | 27 months |
74 | 37.33% | 28 months |
75 | 37.5% | 28 months |
76 | 37.67% | 29 months |
77 | 37.83% | 29 months |
78 | 38% | 30 months |
79 | 38.17% | 30 months |
80 | 38.33% | 31 months |
81 | 38.5% | 31 months |
82 | 38.67% | 32 months |
83 | 38.83% | 32 months |
84 | 39% | 33 months |
85 | 39.17% | 33 months |
86 | 39.33% | 34 months |
87 | 39.5% | 34 months |
88 | 39.67% | 35 months |
89 | 39.83% | 35 months |
90 | 40% | 36 months |
91 | 40.17% | 37 months |
92 | 40.33% | 37 months |
93 | 40.5% | 38 months |
94 | 40.67% | 38 months |
95 | 40.83% | 39 months |
96 | 41% | 39 months |
97 | 41.17% | 40 months |
98 | 41.33% | 41 months |
99 | 41.5% | 41 months |
100 | 41.67% | 42 months |
101 | 41.83% | 42 months |
102 | 42% | 43 months |
103 | 42.17% | 43 months |
104 | 42.33% | 44 months |
105 | 42.5% | 45 months |
106 | 42.67% | 45 months |
107 | 42.83% | 46 months |
108 | 43% | 46 months |
109 | 43.17% | 47 months |
110 | 43.33% | 48 months |
111 | 43.5% | 48 months |
112 | 43.67% | 49 months |
113 | 43.83% | 50 months |
114 | 44% | 50 months |
115 | 44.17% | 51 months |
116 | 44.33% | 51 months |
117 | 44.5% | 52 months |
118 | 44.67% | 53 months |
119 | 44.83% | 53 months |
120 | 45% | 54 months |
121 | 45.17% | 55 months |
122 | 45.33% | 55 months |
123 | 45.5% | 56 months |
124 | 45.67% | 57 months |
125 | 45.83% | 57 months |
126 | 46% | 58 months |
127 | 46.17% | 59 months |
128 | 46.33% | 59 months |
129 | 46.5% | 60 months |
130 | 46.67% | 61 months |
131 | 46.83% | 61 months |
132 | 47% | 62 months |
133 | 47.17% | 63 months |
134 | 47.33% | 63 months |
135 | 47.5% | 64 months |
136 | 47.67% | 65 months |
137 | 47.83% | 66 months |
138 | 48% | 66 months |
139 | 48.17% | 67 months |
140 | 48.33% | 68 months |
141 | 48.5% | 68 months |
142 | 48.67% | 69 months |
143 | 48.83% | 70 months |
144 | 49% | 71 months |
145 | 49.17% | 71 months |
146 | 49.33% | 72 months |
147 | 49.5% | 73 months |
148 | 49.67% | 74 months |
149 | 49.83% | 74 months |
150 | 50% | 75 months |
151 | 50% | 76 months |
152 | 50% | 76 months |
153 | 50% | 77 months |
154 | 50% | 77 months |
155 | 50% | 78 months |
156 | 50% | 78 months |
157 | 50% | 79 months |
158 | 50% | 79 months |
159 | 50% | 80 months |
160 | 50% | 80 months |
161 | 50% | 81 months |
162 | 50% | 81 months |
163 | 50% | 82 months |
164 | 50% | 82 months |
165 | 50% | 83 months |
166 | 50% | 83 months |
167 | 50% | 84 months |
168 | 50% | 84 months |
169 | 50% | 85 months |
170 | 50% | 85 months |
171 | 50% | 86 months |
172 | 50% | 86 months |
173 | 50% | 87 months |
174 | 50% | 87 months |
175 | 50% | 88 months |
176 | 50% | 88 months |
177 | 50% | 89 months |
178 | 50% | 89 months |
179 | 50% | 90 months |
180 | 50% | 90 months |
181 | 50% | 91 months |
182 | 50% | 91 months |
183 | 50% | 92 months |
184 | 50% | 92 months |
185 | 50% | 93 months |
186 | 50% | 93 months |
187 | 50% | 94 months |
188 | 50% | 94 months |
189 | 50% | 95 months |
190 | 50% | 95 months |
191 | 50% | 96 months |
192 | 50% | 96 months |
193 | 50% | 97 months |
194 | 50% | 97 months |
195 | 50% | 98 months |
196 | 50% | 98 months |
197 | 50% | 99 months |
198 | 50% | 99 months |
199 | 50% | 100 months |
200 | 50% | 100 months |
201 | 50% | 101 months |
202 | 50% | 101 months |
203 | 50% | 102 months |
204 | 50% | 102 months |
205 | 50% | 103 months |
206 | 50% | 103 months |
207 | 50% | 104 months |
208 | 50% | 104 months |
209 | 50% | 105 months |
210 | 50% | 105 months |
211 | 50% | 106 months |
212 | 50% | 106 months |
213 | 50% | 107 months |
214 | 50% | 107 months |
215 | 50% | 108 months |
216 | 50% | 108 months |
217 | 50% | 109 months |
218 | 50% | 109 months |
219 | 50% | 110 months |
220 | 50% | 110 months |
221 | 50% | 111 months |
222 | 50% | 111 months |
223 | 50% | 112 months |
224 | 50% | 112 months |
225 | 50% | 113 months |
226 | 50% | 113 months |
227 | 50% | 114 months |
228 | 50% | 114 months |
229 | 50% | 115 months |
230 | 50% | 115 months |
231 | 50% | 116 months |
232 | 50% | 116 months |
233 | 50% | 117 months |
234 | 50% | 117 months |
235 | 50% | 118 months |
236 | 50% | 118 months |
237 | 50% | 119 months |
238 | 50% | 119 months |
239 | 50% | 120 months |
240 | 50% | 120 months |
