How Child Support Is Calculated in Colorado

Colorado sets child support with a formula written into state law. Knowing how the formula works takes some of the uncertainty out of the number, and it shows where the real disputes usually are.

The formula changed significantly on March 1, 2026. This page explains the current method step by step, then the adjustments and deviations that change the result.

The Income Shares Model

Colorado child support uses an income shares model. The court combines both parents’ adjusted gross incomes and finds the basic obligation for that income and number of children on the statutory schedule.¹ It then divides that obligation between the parents in proportion to their incomes.

Income is defined broadly and includes wages, self-employment income, bonuses, and many other sources. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court can use potential income instead of actual earnings.²

What Changed on March 1, 2026

House Bill 25-1159 updated the schedule and extended it to combined monthly incomes of $40,000, up from $30,000. It also replaced the old 93-overnight threshold with a parenting time credit that starts with the first overnight.³

Under the old rules, a parent needed at least 93 overnights a year before parenting time reduced support. Now each overnight counts, so small changes in the schedule produce small changes in support rather than a sudden jump.

Step by Step

1. Determine each parent’s gross income. Include all sources the statute counts and verify them with pay records and tax returns.
2. Adjust for other obligations. Subtract preexisting child support and maintenance actually paid to reach adjusted gross income.
3. Find the basic obligation. Use the combined adjusted gross income and the number of children on the schedule.
4. Divide by income share. Each parent’s percentage of combined income is their share of the basic obligation.
5. Apply the parenting time credit. The number of overnights each parent has reduces the obligation according to the statutory table.
6. Add the adjustments. Work-related child care, the children’s health insurance premium, and extraordinary medical expenses are divided in proportion to income.

For example, if Parent A earns 75% of the combined income, Parent A owes 75% of the basic obligation before the parenting time credit and adjustments.

Most child support disputes are really income disputes, and the inputs decide the result. Johnson Law Group offers a no-pressure consultation to check yours before you rely on an estimate, so schedule a consultation and bring your pay records.

Low-Income and High-Income Cases

When a paying parent’s income is low, the statute applies a minimum order and caps tied to a self-support reserve. Those rules are covered in Colorado’s minimum child support rules.

When combined income exceeds the top of the schedule, the court may use discretion to set support above the schedule amount. Families above $40,000 a month in combined income should expect a fact-specific analysis.

Deviations From the Guideline

The court can deviate from the guideline amount when applying it would be inequitable, unjust, or inappropriate, and it must state its reasons on the record.⁴ Common reasons include extraordinary needs of a child or significant income from a second job.

Estimating Your Support

The Colorado child support calculator gives a preliminary estimate using the current formula. Treat any estimate as a starting point, because the court uses verified income and the full worksheet.

Orders entered before March 1, 2026 do not change automatically. A change in the formula alone may or may not support a modification, so review your order before assuming it will.

Talk With a Colorado Child Support Attorney

Child support follows a formula, but the inputs, the overnights, and the adjustments are where the real decisions happen. Johnson Law Group is here to help.

The attorneys at Johnson Law Group help parents set and review child support under the current guidelines and will give you a clear read on what yours should be. Schedule a free consultation through our Colorado offices, and we will serve as your North Star from here.

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