Calculate child support using Colorado's 2026 income shares model with parenting time adjustments
Free calculator based on C.R.S. § 14-10-115 as updated by HB25-1159, effective March 1, 2026. Uses a unified income-shares worksheet that replaces the old Worksheet A/B system — every overnight from 0 to 365 generates a continuous parenting time credit. Includes the new $40,000 combined income schedule, self-support reserve smoothing formula, and three-tier low-income protections.
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**File:** `content/faqs/colorado.md` **Audience:** Parents — plain English, no legal background assumed **Last Updated:** March 1, 2026 (reflects HB25-1159) --- > **Important:** This page provides general information only. It is not legal advice. Every family's situation is different, and child support outcomes depend on the specific facts of your case. Please consult a family law attorney for advice about your situation. ---
Colorado uses what's called an "income-shares" model. The idea is that children should benefit from the financial support of both parents, just as they would if the parents were still together. The court starts by looking at both parents' monthly incomes, looks up a dollar amount on a state schedule based on that combined income and the number of children, and then divides that amount between the parents according to their share of the total income. Each parent's share is then adjusted based on how many nights per year the children spend with that parent. Add-ons like health insurance and work-related child care are calculated on top of that base amount. ---
Colorado has a broad definition of income. Almost any money coming in regularly counts — wages and salaries, tips, commissions, bonuses, self-employment earnings, rental income, interest and dividends, retirement or pension payments, workers' compensation, unemployment benefits, and even regular monetary gifts. Income from public assistance programs like SSI, food stamps, and Medicaid does not count. Child support you receive for other children also does not count. If a court believes a parent is working fewer hours than they could on purpose, it may assign an income based on what that parent *could* earn — this is called "imputed income." ---
The more overnights a parent has with the children each year, the more of the children's direct costs that parent covers, and so the less they owe in a support payment. Colorado's law changed significantly on March 1, 2026: there is now one single calculation for all parenting arrangements, and every overnight from 0 to 365 generates a credit. There is no longer a separate formula that only kicks in at a specific number of overnights. If you and your co-parent have nearly equal time, the amounts each parent owes can get close to each other, and the final payment is simply the difference between the two. ---
**Minimum:** In most situations, the minimum child support order in Colorado is $10 per month, even if the paying parent has a very low income. This minimum may be lower in certain shared parenting situations. **Maximum:** The state schedule goes up to $40,000 in combined monthly income. If both parents together earn more than that, the court uses the amount shown at $40,000 as a starting point and can order more based on the children's actual needs and the parents' financial circumstances. ---
Colorado has special rules to protect parents with low incomes: - If your monthly income is **$650 or less**, your child support is a flat $10 per month, regardless of how many children you have. - If your monthly income is **between $650 and roughly $1,832** (the state's Self-Support Reserve for 2026), there are flat payment amounts depending on the number of children, and total child support plus add-ons cannot exceed 10% of your monthly income. - If your monthly income is **between roughly $1,832 and $2,628**, a smoothing formula gradually increases your obligation, and total support including add-ons cannot exceed 20% of your monthly income. These thresholds are tied to Colorado's minimum wage and are adjusted annually. ---
Add-ons are costs for the children that get added on top of the basic support amount. The three main add-ons in Colorado are: **Health insurance:** The portion of a health insurance premium that covers the children is added to the total, and each parent pays their proportionate share. The parent who actually pays the insurance premium gets a credit for it. **Child care:** Work-related or school-related child care costs (reduced by any applicable federal tax credit) are added and split proportionally. The child care must be for a quality, licensed provider. **Extraordinary medical expenses:** Uninsured medical costs above $250 per child per year — including copays and deductibles — are split proportionally. Routine medical costs are already built into the basic support schedule. ---
Yes. Either parent can ask the court to modify child support if there has been a "substantial and continuing" change in circumstances — generally meaning at least a 10% change in the amount of support owed. Common reasons include a significant change in either parent's income, a change in parenting time, or a change in the children's needs (such as new medical costs). Child support orders do not automatically update when circumstances change — you need to go back to court. ---
In Colorado, child support generally ends when the child turns 19. However, support can continue past age 19 if the child is still in high school and expected to graduate before age 21, or if the child has a mental or physical disability that prevents self-support. Separately, a court can order parents to contribute to a child's post-secondary education (college or vocational school) costs, but that is a different type of order from regular child support. ---
Alimony you pay is deducted from your income before child support is calculated, but Colorado applies a multiplier to account for the fact that most modern alimony is not tax-deductible. If the alimony involves the same two parents as the child support case and is not tax-deductible, the deduction is multiplied by 1.25 if your combined income is $10,000 per month or less, or by 1.33 if your combined income is higher. If the alimony involves different people (for example, from a prior marriage), the multiplier is 1.25 regardless of income. Alimony payments from older, tax-deductible orders are deducted at face value. ---
Colorado made several significant changes effective March 1, 2026 through a law called HB25-1159: - The old two-worksheet system (Worksheet A for under 93 overnights, Worksheet B for more) was replaced by a single calculation for everyone. - Every overnight from 0 to 365 now generates a parenting time credit — there is no longer a threshold you have to cross before overnight credits begin. - The income schedule was extended from $30,000 to $40,000 in combined monthly income. - New protections were added for lower-income parents, including a smoothing formula that prevents sudden jumps in the amount owed as income rises. - The Self-Support Reserve — the minimum amount of income a paying parent must be left with — is now updated every year based on Colorado's minimum wage. If you have an older support order, these new rules do not automatically apply to it. You would need to request a modification through the court. --- *This information reflects Colorado law as of March 1, 2026. Laws can change. Please consult a family law attorney for advice specific to your situation.*
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This calculator provides estimates based on Colorado state guidelines. Actual court orders may differ based on individual circumstances. Consult with a qualified family law attorney for advice specific to your situation.