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Denver & Colorado Springs Child Support Attorney

Oct 7, 2025
8’ read
Child Support
Matthew PattonPartner | 15 years of experience
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Attorney
Attorney
Matthew PattonPartner 15 years of experience
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Child support is one of the most challenging aspects of divorce for parents. In Colorado, these are court-ordered, ongoing payments that one parent makes to the other to ensure their child has what they need to thrive. The law prioritizes the child’s financial stability and needs. 

Retaining a knowledgeable child support lawyer in Colorado who is familiar with the laws is crucial to receiving a fair child support award. Robinson & Henry offers a tailored approach to your child support circumstances. With offices conveniently located in the Denver metro area and El Paso County, our Family Law Attorneys are poised to help you. 

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How Child Support is Calculated in Colorado 

Colorado family courts rely on a strict statutory formula and specialized software to calculate monthly child support payments for essentials like housing, food, clothing, and transportation. 

This approach helps ensure children receive the same level of support they would have if the parents had remained together. 

Key Factors in Child Support Calculation

A number of factors help determine a child support payment. Income and parenting time are at the top of the list.

Gross Annual Income

Colorado law requires both parents to contribute financially to the support and care of their child. Your gross pay is a significant factor in determining how much you or your child’s other parent will owe in child support. 

In addition to the money you make from your job, including bonuses, C.R.S. 14-10-115 requires the court to consider the following as income: 

  • Investment income

  • Dividends

  • Severance pay

  • Royalties

  • Rents

  • Trust income

  • Workers compensation

  • Unemployment

  • Social security

Often, the parent who makes less money will receive child support, especially if they have equal or more parenting time.

Note About New Spouses: If you or your ex remarries, the new spouse’s income is not factored into your child support calculation. Under the state’s child support guidelines, the duty of support belongs solely to the biological or adoptive parents. 

Parenting Time 

Parenting time, or the number of overnights each parent has with the child per year, also plays a significant role in how your support calculation fares. 

Colorado uses two different worksheets to calculate child support based on overnights:

  1. Worksheet A (JDF 1820) - one parent has the child 92 nights or fewer a year

  2. Worksheet B (JDF 1821) - both parents have the child more than 92 nights a year 

Generally, the more overnights the paying parent has, the lower their monthly child support obligation.  

Additional Expenses

The cost of raising a child varies between families,  geographical locations, and social factors. Colorado law accounts for this, including the following expenses in the calculator:

  • Childcare 

  • Health insurance

  • Medical expenses 

  • Private school tuition

  • Extracurricular activities

  • Special needs

The court views items in these “categories” as separate from child support. A child support law firm in Colorado can help you discern which expenses you can include.

High-Income and Complex Asset Child Support Cases

C.R.S. 14-10-115 lists the standard state guidelines that apply to parents whose combined gross monthly income falls between $1,100 and $30,0000. However, when the combined income exceeds $30,000 or $360,000 a year, the guidelines no longer provide presumptive child support amounts. In high-income child support matters, the court will determine an appropriate payment. 

In such cases, the court will calculate $30,000 as the baseline, which may be adjusted upward based on the child’s specific needs, the standard of living during the parents' marriage, and other relevant factors. 

A high-asset divorce with children is often a more complex case due to the various assets the parents hold, such as:

  • Financial portfolios

  • Business valuations

  • Deferred compensation

  • Trust income

Complex assets require sophisticated financial analysis, for which a generic calculation may be insufficient. A child support law firm in Denver can provide the precision needed to ensure your assets are fairly evaluated to reflect your family’s true financial reality. 

Calculating Child Support in Colorado Springs & Denver 

Let’s take a look at a hypothetical scenario to give you a better sense of how child support is calculated in Colorado:

Imagine you are one of two recently separated parents who share two children — an infant and a toddler. One of you makes $6,000 a month living in Colorado Springs, while the other earns $4,000 a month and has recently moved to Denver. 

A divorce lawyer in Colorado Springs for the higher earner might look for ways to reduce their proportionate share based on the parenting time agreement, as the parent with more overnights typically owes less. However, if the lower-earning parent in Denver is also the custodial parent, their Denver child support lawyer would advocate for their client to receive payments that reflect the cost of childcare in Denver. 

You can estimate possible child support payments based on factors such as location, income, mortgage, and the number of children you have at the Colorado Division of Child Support Services website. A Colorado child support lawyer can give you a more detailed breakdown based on your personal situation and needs. 

Child Support for Unmarried Parents & Paternity Cases

Establishing Legal Paternity

Before a court can enforce a parent’s legal duty to provide financial support for a child, it must establish legal paternity. For this reason, a paternity test is a critical step in the child support determination process. 

Paternity can be established by: 
  1. Voluntary acknowledgment - Both parents sign an Acknowledgment of Parentage form at the hospital where the child is born.

  2. Court order - If one parent denies parentage, the other can file a case to establish it. Once paternity is proven through genetic (DNA) testing, per C.R.S. 13-25-126, the court can proceed with establishing an order.

Once legal paternity is established, either parent can begin the process of calculating support by filing a case with the court or applying for services with Colorado’s Division of Child Support Services.

Paternity Support in Denver and Colorado Springs

In district courts from Denver and El Paso Counties to Jefferson, Douglas, Adams, and Arapahoe, the process for establishing paternity begins with filing a formal petition with the court. While the forms are standardized, local court procedures—like serving the other party and appearing before a judge or magistrate—can be daunting. 

The family court systems in these counties move swiftly, and judges expect parties to have their financial information accurate and complete. Having a Denver child support lawyer or a Colorado Springs child support attorney who is familiar with the local judges’ preferences and court procedures can make all the difference in the outcome of your case. You can find dedicated local guidance at one of our conveniently located offices between Westminster and Colorado Springs

How to Modify a Child Support Order

Child support orders are not intended to be frequently changed. In fact, Colorado family courts will not modify an existing child support order without a compelling reason.  However, as your and your child’s circumstances change, a modification request may become necessary. Under C.R.S. 14-10-122, a parent must demonstrate a “substantial and continuing change" in circumstances to successfully modify an existing child support order.  

The statute requires a 10 percent or greater change in the amount of support due, pursuant to the calculations on the worksheet, in order to modify the amount. 

What Qualifies as a Substantial and Continuing Change?

Valid Reasons for Modification

  • a permanent or long-term increase or decrease in either parent’s income 

  • the emancipation of a child for whom support was ordered

  • a significant change in parenting time

  • loss of employment or increased medical expenses due to a serious medical condition

  • the birth of additional children for whom a parent is obligated to support

  • a post-divorce inheritance 

  • a lottery win

  • a change in the child’s needs, such as new educational expenses

Insufficient Reasons for Modification

  • a temporary loss of employment

  • a voluntary increase in personal expenses

  • increased financial obligations from a remarriage

  • incarceration (exceptions may apply) 

Evidence Needed for a Successful Modification Request

Your Income

If you’re facing job loss or have had to take a pay cut, the court may want to see a letter of termination, evidence of unemployment benefits, proof of a new, lower-paying job, or medical documentation if a disability prevents you from working. 

Alternatively, a new job or a significant raise for your hard work could lead to an increase in your court-ordered child support payments should the other parent pursue a modification. The court ensures your child benefits from your improved financial situation, just as they would have if you were still with your co-parent. Be prepared to provide the court with your new employment contract and recent pay stubs. 

Your Child’s Expenses

If the cost of raising your child changes — they stop needing daycare, begin an after-school program, etc. — you can petition the court to review the support order. To do this, you’ll need to provide the court with documentation such as invoices, receipts, and new contract agreements. 

Your Parenting Time Arrangement

If the actual number of overnights has changed from your current court order, you must formalize this with a new parenting plan. Remember: Failing to document an informal arrangement makes future modifications and enforcement extremely difficult. 

How Long Does it Take to Modify an Existing Child Support Order?

The time it takes to modify a child support order varies widely by court caseload (e.g., Denver may have a busier caseload than El Paso or Arapahoe County). While the process can take up to six months for a court review and issuance of a new order, pursuing mediation is often a faster, less expensive, and less adversarial way to reach an agreement before resorting to litigation. 

Child Support Enforcement in Colorado

When a parent fails to pay court-ordered child support, it can place a serious financial burden on the custodial parent. If you aren’t receiving court-ordered child support payments, your attorney and Colorado Child Support Services can pursue legal action to collect the debt. 

Colorado courts can enforce child support orders via: 

  • Wage garnishment - Family court may order the paying parent’s employer to withhold funds directly from their paycheck. 

  • Tax fund interception - State and federal tax refunds can be intercepted and applied to unpaid support. Liens can also be placed on bank accounts and property, like cars and houses.

  • License suspension - A driver’s license, professional license, or recreational hunting or fishing license can be suspended for non-payment of child support.

  • Negative credit reporting - Arrears can be reported to the three major credit bureaus, which could damage the paying parent’s credit score.

  • Contempt of court - A parent who is able to pay but willfully refuses can be held in contempt of court for failing to do so. This can result in fines or even jail time. 

These tools are available for every court to utilize, though each county’s approach may differ. For instance, a judge in Denver with a full docket may order an immediate wage garnishment. Meanwhile, a judge in El Paso County could first order the parties to attend a settlement conference with a family court facilitator to establish a payment plan. 

Interstate Enforcement

In some cases, enforcing a child support order becomes more complicated when one parent moves out of state. However, there are federal laws in place to ensure that a parent cannot evade their support obligation simply by crossing state lines. 

The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) standardizes the rules for enforcing child support orders across all states. Under UIFSA, only one state has the authority to issue or modify a child support order at any given time. This prevents conflicting orders and provides a clear path for enforcement. 

Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, which funds state and federal child support enforcement programs, also requires states to locate non-custodial parents and enforce child support obligations. 

If you have a Colorado child support order and the paying parent lives in another state, a child support attorney in Colorado can help you register the order in their state so it can be enforced through their local courts and child support agency. 

How Quickly Does Interest Accumulate?

Past-due child support accumulates as “arrears” at a high interest rate, which, if left unmanaged, can snowball into a much greater financial problem. 

In Colorado, the day a monthly child support payment is due and not paid, the full amount becomes past-due support. This debt accumulates automatically. Specifically, under C.R.S. 14-10-122, each missed child support payment automatically converts into a money judgment against the paying parent that can be enforced by filing a Verified Entry of Support Judgment (JDF 1813). 

Long-Term Arrears in Denver and Colorado Springs

All Colorado child support enforcement efforts are governed by the same state and federal laws, meaning that each county can employ any of the following enforcement tools in long-term arrears cases:

  • Tax intercepts

  • License suspensions

  • Credit reporting

  • Lump sum intercepts 

  • Income withholding

  • Property liens 

However, many counties take their own approach to resolving long-term arrears cases. For instance, El Paso County has what’s called the Responsible Parent Program (RPP), a voluntary program for non-custodial parents who can receive support in exchange for certain incentives.

This is a rather unique program, as counties like Denver rely more heavily on remedial contempt of court to compel payment from non-custodial parents. A skilled child support lawyer in Denver or Colorado Springs can help you navigate specific procedures in your county.

When Does Child Support End in Colorado?

It’s common for parents to wonder exactly when child support obligations are set to conclude. 

The general rule is that the obligation to pay child support continues until the child reaches the age of 19 because that’s when emancipation is presumed to occur. 

However, there are several important exceptions to this rule, including if:
  • your child is still in high school (or an equivalent program) 

  • your child has a physical or mental disability and is unable to support themselves 

  • your order includes a signed agreement pertinent to college tuition or expenses

  • your child gets married (an annulment reinstates a parent’s support obligations)

So, does child support automatically stop at 19 in Colorado? In most cases, yes, unless one of the specific exemptions applies. Thus, the parent paying support should not simply cease payments without ensuring their legal obligation has truly been met. However, be advised: Local courts may use their own discretion when determining how child support obligations conclude. 

Your Partner in Colorado Family Law

Protecting your financial stability and ensuring your child’s support is essential. Whether you’re establishing, modifying, or enforcing a child support order, a dedicated child support lawyer with Robinson & Henry can help. Call 303-688-0944 or book an attorney online