Colorado Child Support Changes for 2026

Are you involved in a divorce or child custody case involving child support or parenting time? An experienced Colorado Springs divorce and child custody lawyer can guide you through the legal process and assist you in exploring your options. You have one bite at the apple in the court system so make it count.

Child support is calculated based on parental incomes and the number of overnights of the children with each parent to determine the basic child support obligation. The number of overnights that each parent has with a child will impact child support, so parenting time must be established before child support can be calculated. Although both parents are responsible for support of the child in the child support calculation, only one parent pays child support to the other.

There will be changes to child support beginning on March 1, 2026 to modernize the guideline amounts to account for increasing costs of raising children. The support amounts are being updated from 2010 values to 2023 values based on the Betson-Rothbarth Study, which is based on the national average cost of raising a child, as well as the 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index. The new guidelines acknowledge Colorado’s higher than average cost of living.

Usually, a parent with primary physical care of a child receives support, however that depends on the incomes of the parties. There are two child support worksheets utilized depending on whether the parties share care of the children. If one parent has primary care, the worksheet utilized is “Child Support Worksheet A.” If the parties share care, then “Child Support Worksheet B” is utilized. However, beginning on March 1, 2026, there will no longer be two worksheets. There will be a single worksheet with all overnights for each parent being relevant to the child support award. C.R.S. 14-10-115(8).

Physical care can be primary to one parent or shared by both. When both parents have the child for more than 92 overnights a year, that situation is considered to be shared physical care.³¹ However, beginning on March 1, 2026, the 92 overnights distinction will no longer be relevant to support. C.R.S. 14-10-115(8). In situations where there are two or more children and the parenting time schedules are different for the children, the total number of overnights for all children will now be added together and divided by the number of children.³²

Child support is calculated through a statutory formula.³³ The two main factors in a child support calculation are parental incomes and the number of overnights with each parent. The Colorado Judicial Branch has a free support calculator. Application of the child support guidelines result in a presumptive amount of support and encompasses combined parental incomes of up to $30,000 per month, however this number will change to $40,000 beginning on March 1, 2026. Child support awards are discretionary with the court for parents with monthly incomes above this amount. Relevant information for a child support calculation is:

1. Gross income of each parent;
2. Amount of spousal maintenance paid and received by each parent;
3. Amount of child support paid for other children;
4. Number of children the parents have together;
5. Number of overnights with each parent;
6. Work or education-related childcare cost;
7. Medical insurance premium cost for the child;
8. Medical Co-pays or deductibles and extraordinary medical expenses;
9. Other extraordinary expenses; and
10. Income of the child; and/or

The child support guidelines calculate combined parental incomes up to a cap. For combined incomes above $30,000 per month, $40,000 beginning on March 1, 2026, courts have discretion in determining a child support amount.³⁴ There are also special provisions for low-income families that result in a low support amount.

Turning Change Into Opportunity in Colorado Springs, Colorado Divorce and Child Custody

A highly knowledgeable and experienced Colorado Springs divorce and child custody lawyer can guide you through Colorado Springs divorce and child custody matters by negotiating, mediating and litigating on your behalf. You can focus on moving to a better future instead of spending your time attempting to navigate complex legal rules and procedures.

Sabra Janko from Janko Family Law has more than 20 years of legal experience and has written “the book” on Colorado divorce and family law – “Colorado Family Law With Forms”, published by LexisNexis, which you can find at https://store.lexisnexis.com/products/colorado-family-law-with-forms-skuSKU02903. Contact us at 719-344-5523 or complete our online scheduling request for a free 30-minute informational consultation. We also offer paid one-hour advice sessions for a more in-depth analysis of your case.