How Is Child Support Calculated in Colorado? [2026 Guide]

Last updated: July 2026.

Colorado child support is one of the most common calculations we run in our practice -- and one of the most misunderstood by parents going through divorce. The formula is actually straightforward once you see it laid out. This guide walks through exactly how Colorado calculates child support in 2026, with real numbers.

The 30-Second Version

Colorado uses the "income shares" model under C.R.S. § 14-10-115. Here's the logic:

1. Combine both parents' gross monthly incomes
2. Look up the total support the children would receive if the parents lived together (from the state's child support schedule)
3. Split that total between the parents in proportion to their incomes
4. Adjust for parenting time, health insurance premiums, and childcare
5. The result is the presumed monthly support the paying parent owes to the receiving parent

The tool that runs the math is the Colorado Child Support Worksheet (JDF-1820) -- an Excel-based worksheet available free from the Colorado Judicial Branch.

Step 1: Calculate Each Parent's Gross Income

Gross income for Colorado child support includes:

• Wages, salary, tips
• Commissions and bonuses (averaged over 2-3 years for irregular income)
• Self-employment income (net of legitimate business expenses)
• Rental income, dividends, interest
• Pension, 401(k) distributions, and retirement benefits
• Social Security (retirement or disability) -- including SSDI derivative benefits paid to the child
• Workers' comp and disability payments
• Unemployment benefits
• Trust income
• Severance pay
• Gifts and prizes if regular

Not counted:

• Means-tested public assistance (TANF, SNAP, SSI)
• Child support received for children from other relationships
• Reasonable business expenses (for self-employed parents)

Adjustments to Gross Income

Before the formula runs, both parents' gross incomes are adjusted for:

• Maintenance (alimony) actually paid -- deducted from payer, added to receiver
• Child support already ordered for children from other relationships
• Actual costs for children living in the home from other relationships

Step 2: Combined Adjusted Gross Income

Add both parents' adjusted incomes together. This is the number that determines the total obligation.

Step 3: Look Up the Basic Support Obligation

Colorado maintains a child support schedule -- a state-published table showing how much money families with a given combined income typically spend on children. For example:

Combined Adjusted Gross Income	1 Child	2 Children	3 Children
$3,000/month	~$614	~$935	~$1,101
$6,000/month	~$986	~$1,502	~$1,769
$9,000/month	~$1,282	~$1,952	~$2,299
$15,000/month	~$1,742	~$2,654	~$3,126
$30,000/month (cap)	~$2,675	~$4,077	~$4,802

These are illustrative numbers based on the 2020 schedule (with 2020 revision still in effect for 2026). Actual amounts are pulled directly from the state schedule.

Above the $30,000/month cap, the court has discretion -- the amount at the cap is treated as a floor.

Step 4: Prorate Between Parents

Each parent is responsible for their percentage of the combined income.

Example: Combined income is $8,000/month. Parent A earns $5,000 (62.5%), Parent B earns $3,000 (37.5%). If the schedule shows $1,150 basic support for one child, Parent A's share is $719 and Parent B's share is $431.

Step 5: Apply the Parenting-Time Adjustment

This is where child support gets interesting -- and where many DIY calculators go wrong.

• Fewer than 92 overnights/year with the child: paying parent owes their full share of basic support to the other parent
• 93+ overnights/year (shared physical care): Colorado uses a shared-parenting formula (Worksheet B). Both parents' obligations are added together, then multiplied by 1.5 (to account for duplicate costs of maintaining two homes), then divided based on income and parenting time percentages

The result: even in true 50/50 arrangements, the higher-earning parent almost always owes some support to the lower-earning parent.

Step 6: Add Health Insurance and Childcare

• Health insurance premiums for the child (not the whole family -- just the marginal cost of adding the child) are split proportionally
• Work-related childcare is split proportionally
• Extraordinary medical expenses ($250+/year uninsured) are usually split proportionally

A Worked Example

Scenario: Two parents in Larimer County. One child. Parent A earns $5,000/month, Parent B earns $3,000/month. Parent A has the child 100 overnights/year; Parent B has 265 overnights/year. Parent B carries health insurance costing $200/month for the child. Parent B pays $600/month for after-school care.

Calculation:

1. Combined income: $8,000/month
2. Basic support (1 child): ~$1,150
3. Parent A's share: 62.5% × $1,150 = $719
4. Parent A's share of insurance: 62.5% × $200 = $125
5. Parent A's share of childcare: 62.5% × $600 = $375
6. Parent A owes Parent B: ~$1,219/month (adjusted slightly for parenting-time overnights)

(Real numbers would be run through the actual JDF-1820 worksheet -- the state's official tool.)

Deviations from the Guideline

A Colorado court can deviate from the presumed amount, but only if it makes specific findings under C.R.S. § 14-10-115(8) that following the guideline would be unfair. Common reasons:

• Extraordinary medical expenses for the child
• Special educational needs (private tutoring, therapy, special schools)
• Significant travel costs for parenting time (long-distance parents)
• The child's independent income or trust
• A parent supporting other dependents whom the formula doesn't account for
• Wealth disparity above the $30,000/month cap

Deviations are the exception, not the rule. Most Colorado child support orders match the worksheet.

Modification: When Support Can Change

Under C.R.S. § 14-10-122, child support can be modified when there's been a substantial and continuing change of circumstances that would result in at least a 10% change in the amount. Common modification triggers:

• Job loss, promotion, or new job at a different salary
• Birth of a new child
• Major change in parenting time (child moves, custody flip)
• A child ages out (turns 19 or emancipates)
• Loss of health insurance
• Significant change in childcare costs

Both parents can request a modification. Colorado allows one modification review every 3 years by right; more frequent reviews require showing the substantial change.

Low-Income Adjustment (Self-Support Reserve)

Colorado ensures paying parents retain enough income to live. Under C.R.S. § 14-10-115(7), if the paying parent's monthly gross income is below approximately $2,050 in 2026, the formula shifts to protect a self-support reserve. Minimum orders are generally $50/month per child.

When Does Colorado Child Support End?

Support ends when the child:

• Turns 19 (Colorado's age of majority for child support)
• Marries, joins the military, or becomes self-supporting (emancipation)
• Continues past 19 if physically or mentally incapacitated
• Continues while still in high school (until graduation or 21, whichever is first)

More detail: When Does Child Support End in Colorado?

Common Mistakes We See

After 40+ years running these calculations, the most common self-representation mistakes:

• Not including bonuses/commissions in gross income (state requires 2-3 year average)
• Confusing net and gross income -- Colorado uses gross with specific adjustments
• Missing the maintenance offset -- maintenance actually paid reduces the payer's gross
• Miscounting overnights -- the 92-overnight threshold flips the entire calculation
• Forgetting to add insurance and childcare -- these can add hundreds per month
• Guessing self-employment income -- courts look hard at cash businesses

Any of these can move the number by hundreds of dollars per month.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is child support calculated in Colorado?

Colorado uses the income shares model under C.R.S. § 14-10-115. Both parents' gross incomes are combined, mapped to a state schedule to determine total children's needs, then divided in proportion to income and adjusted for parenting time, insurance, and childcare.

What is the Colorado child support calculator?

The Colorado Child Support Calculator is the JDF-1820 worksheet -- the official Excel tool that courts use. The Colorado Judicial Branch website hosts free online versions.

How much is child support in Colorado for 1 child?

Depends entirely on combined income. Rough example: $6,000 combined monthly income yields around $1,000/month presumed support for one child, split between parents proportionally.

Does 50/50 parenting time mean no child support in Colorado?

No. Even in equal parenting time, the higher earner typically owes some support to the lower earner so children have similar living standards at both homes.

Can child support be modified in Colorado?

Yes -- when there's a substantial and continuing change of circumstances resulting in at least a 10% change in the amount.

When does child support end in Colorado?

Age 19 or emancipation. Continues while in high school (up to 21) or if the child is disabled.

Get Help Running Your Numbers

The Colorado Child Support Worksheet is publicly available, but running it correctly for your specific situation -- with all the right adjustments -- is where things go sideways for most self-represented parents. A Fort Collins family law attorney can:

• Run the correct worksheet (Worksheet A vs. B based on overnights)
• Include all income and appropriate deductions
• Advise on whether a deviation applies
• Draft the child support order that actually gets entered
• Handle enforcement or modification down the road

Related reading:

• When Does Child Support End in Colorado?
• What Is a Contested Divorce in Colorado?
• Colorado Divorce Residency Requirements