Fort Collins Child Support Lawyers

New orders, modifications, and enforcement. Local attorneys who run the Colorado numbers with you and know how Larimer County courts handle the disputes.

Request a Consultation Call 970-482-9770
40+
Years in Northern Colorado
1981
Serving Larimer County Since
3
Local Attorneys
Local
Old Town Fort Collins Office

Child support looks like simple arithmetic until you are the one paying or relying on it. The Colorado formula is fixed, but the numbers that go into it are not. Whose income counts, how much of it, how many overnights each parent really has, and who pays for insurance and daycare decide the result. Those are the places where cases are won and lost.

We have handled support cases in Fort Collins since 1981. Our office is at 110 E Oak Street in Old Town, a short walk from the Larimer County Justice Center at 201 La Porte Avenue, where your case will be heard.

How Colorado Sets the Number

Colorado uses an income shares model under C.R.S. § 14-10-115. In plain terms:

  • Both incomes are combined. Gross monthly income from wages, bonuses, self-employment, and most other sources is added together.
  • The state schedule sets a total. That combined income determines what the children would receive if the parents lived together.
  • The total is split by income share. Each parent is responsible for their percentage of it.
  • Parenting time adjusts it. When each parent has more than 92 overnights a year, a shared-parenting calculation applies.
  • Insurance and childcare are added. Health insurance premiums for the children and work-related childcare are divided in the same proportion.

Our guide to how child support is calculated in Colorado walks through the formula with worked examples. The official worksheet will give you a presumed figure. What it will not do is tell you whether the inputs are right.

Where Support Cases Actually Get Decided

Income that is hard to pin down

Self-employment, commissions, irregular bonuses, cash work, and business-paid expenses all have to be turned into a monthly number. A parent who has quit a job or cut their hours may have income attributed to them based on what they could reasonably earn.

The overnight count

Overnights are a direct input, so the parenting plan and the support order should never be negotiated separately. A schedule on paper that does not match what actually happens is a common source of later disputes.

Insurance, childcare, and extraordinary expenses

Who carries the children's health insurance, what daycare really costs, and how uninsured medical bills, school costs, and activities are shared often matter as much as the base amount.

Deviations from the guideline

A court can order something other than the presumed amount when applying the guideline would be unfair. Deviations need a clear reason and evidence to support it.

Child Support Matters We Handle

New Support Orders

As part of a divorce, a parenting case between unmarried parents, or a paternity action.

Modifications

Raising or lowering support after a job change, a new schedule, or new childcare or insurance costs.

Enforcement & Past-Due Support

Income withholding, collection of arrears, and contempt when the other parent will not pay.

Defending a Support Claim

Making sure your income is counted accurately and your parenting time is credited.

Ending Support

Age 19, emancipation, and the exceptions. See when child support ends in Colorado.

Settling Support in Mediation

Agreeing on the numbers without a hearing through mediation.

How a Support Case Moves Through Larimer County Court

1. Filing

Support is requested inside a divorce or parenting case, or in a motion to modify an existing order.

2. Financial disclosures

Both parents exchange sworn financial statements and supporting records. See our guide to financial disclosure requirements.

3. Temporary orders, if needed

If the children need support while the case is pending, either parent can ask the court for a temporary order.

4. Mediation

Most support disagreements settle once both sides have reliable income figures in front of them.

5. Final order

The court enters the support order, by agreement or after a hearing. It stays in place until it is modified or ends.

Meet Your Attorneys

Sarah E. Liggett

Divorce and family law for Larimer County clients.

Gail B. Goodman

Family law, probate, guardianship, and conservatorship matters.

Child Support Questions We Hear Most

How much is child support for one child in Colorado?
There is no flat amount. The number comes from the state guideline schedule and depends on both parents' combined gross income, how many overnights each parent has, and who pays for the child's health insurance and work-related childcare. Two families with the same income can end up with very different orders because their parenting schedules differ. If you want a realistic figure for your situation, we can run the Colorado worksheet with your actual numbers during a consultation.
If we share parenting time 50/50, does anyone pay child support?
Usually, yes. When each parent has more than 92 overnights a year, Colorado uses a shared-parenting calculation that credits both households, but the higher-earning parent still generally pays the lower-earning parent something. The goal is for the children to have a similar standard of living in both homes. The amount is smaller than in a primary-residence arrangement, but it is rarely zero.
Can I change an existing child support order?
Yes, if there has been a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. Colorado treats a change that would move the support amount by at least 10 percent as the usual benchmark. Job loss, a significant raise, a new parenting schedule, or a change in childcare or insurance costs are common reasons. A modification generally applies only from the date the motion is filed, so waiting can cost you money.
What can I do if the other parent stops paying?
A court order for support is enforceable. Options include income withholding through the other parent's employer, collection of past-due support with interest, and contempt proceedings in the Larimer County court. The county child support services office can also help with enforcement. We help parents decide which route is fastest for their situation and handle the court side when it is needed.
What if the other parent quit their job or hides income?
Colorado courts can attribute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, based on what that parent could reasonably earn. Self-employment income, cash income, and business perks can also be counted. These disputes turn on evidence such as tax returns, bank statements, and work history, so the financial disclosure stage of the case matters a great deal.
When does child support end in Colorado?
Generally when the child turns 19, though support can continue for a child still in high school or a child with a disability, and it can end earlier if the child is emancipated. Support does not always stop automatically, so parents should confirm what their order says and take formal steps where needed.

Talk to a Fort Collins Child Support Lawyer

Tell us whether you need a new order, a change to an existing one, or help collecting. Everything you share with us is confidential.

Prefer to talk now? Call 970-482-9770

Get the Support Number Right

Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Greeley, and all of Larimer County.

Request a Consultation Call 970-482-9770

Trusted by Northern Colorado Families Since 1981

Look us up on the platforms where attorneys are reviewed, and see what clients say in their own words.

Google
Read Reviews
Avvo
Attorney Ratings
Expertise.com
Fort Collins Listings
Schedule a Consultation