Colorado Child Support (2026): How It Works Under New Rules

Colorado child support is set by a state formula that splits the cost of raising a child between both parents by income. On March 1, 2026, Colorado changed that formula: the schedule now runs to $40,000 of combined monthly income, and every overnight a child spends with the paying parent now earns a credit.

This guide explains how the amount is worked out, how to open a case for free, how payments reach you and what happens when the other parent does not pay. How this guide was checked. Every figure below was read on the Colorado statute, court, agency or rule page linked beside it on October 13, 2026.

The figure	What it is	Source
$1,808	basic support for two children at $8,000 combined monthly income	C.R.S. 14-10-115
$0	to apply for child support services in Colorado	Colorado CSS
10%	yearly interest on unpaid support due since July 1, 2021	C.R.S. 14-14-106

The short version

• Support follows a schedule based on both parents' income, updated March 1, 2026
• Every overnight with the paying parent now gives a credit; the 92-night cliff is gone
• Applying through your county child support office is free
• Payments arrive by direct deposit or a free prepaid card, usually within 2 business days
• Support usually ends at 19, or the month after high school graduation if the child is still in school

How is child support calculated in Colorado?

Colorado uses an income shares model. The court adds both parents' monthly adjusted gross income, looks up the basic obligation for that total and the number of children on the state schedule, then splits it by each parent's share of income (C.R.S. 14-10-115).

The schedule changed on March 1, 2026, under House Bill 25-1159, signed May 31, 2025 (HB25-1159). It now runs to $40,000 of combined monthly income. Above that, the judge has discretion, but the presumed amount is never less than the top row.

The share of income falls as income rises. That is why the "20% for one child" rule you may read online is wrong for Colorado: at $3,000 of combined income, one child's support is 19.4% of it, but at $40,000 it is 8.5%.

The guideline amount is a starting point the court presumes is right. A judge can go higher or lower only with findings, written or oral, that the guideline would be inequitable, unjust or inappropriate.

How much is Colorado child support for one or two children?

Here is a worked example from the 2026 schedule. A mom earns $3,000 a month and the dad earns $5,000, so their combined income is $8,000.

• One child: the basic obligation is $1,209. Dad's share of income is 62.5%, so he owes about $756 a month.
• Two children: the basic obligation is $1,808, and dad's share is $1,130 a month.

Those numbers come before child care, health insurance and medical costs are added. They also assume dad has no overnights; if he has some, his credit can lower the amount, as shown below. For your own figure, the court recommends its guided form interview over doing the worksheet by hand (Colorado Judicial Branch). The Judicial Branch also links a Colorado child support calculator that prints a worksheet (Colorado Judicial Branch, calculate support).

Colorado now uses one form, the JDF 1821 Support Worksheet. Worksheet A and the old JDF 1822 guidelines were discontinued (Colorado Judicial Branch, forms update).

How do overnights change the amount?

Before March 2026, the shared-care formula applied only when each parent had more than 92 overnights a year. That cliff is gone. Now every overnight earns the paying parent a credit from a table in the statute, and a parent with some parenting time can never owe more than with none (C.R.S. 14-10-115(8)).

The credit is a percentage of the total basic obligation: 8.87% at 73 overnights, about every other weekend, and 50% at 182.5, equal time. The worksheet takes each parent's credit off that parent's share, nets the two, and caps the result at what the payer would owe with no overnights, so a few nights may not lower the payment. Run the court's worksheet for your figure.

If you are working out a schedule, the 50-50 custody schedule guide shows how overnights add up. Support orders do not set parenting time, and county offices cannot help with visitation disputes (Colorado CSS FAQ).

What if the other parent earns very little?

Colorado protects low earners with a self-support reserve. It equals the state minimum wage times 29 hours a week for 50 weeks, divided by 12 (C.R.S. 14-10-115(7)). With Colorado's 2026 minimum wage of $15.16 an hour, that is $1,831.83 a month (Colorado Department of Labor and Employment).

If the paying parent earns $650 a month or less, the order is a $10 minimum. Between $650 and the reserve, basic support is $50 for one child, $70 for two and $90 for three, and the total with add-ons cannot pass 10% of that parent's income.

A parent who is out of work or underemployed by choice can be ordered to pay on the income they could earn. That rule does not apply to a parent who is incapacitated, caring for a joint child under 24 months, or sentenced to 180 days or more in jail or prison.

Who pays for child care and health insurance?

These costs are added on top of basic support and split by the same income shares. Child care counts when it is for work, a job search or a parent's education, after the federal child care tax credit is taken off (C.R.S. 14-10-115).

For health insurance, only the children's part of the premium is shared. Since May 31, 2025, copays, deductibles and uninsured medical costs are shared from the first dollar; the old $250-per-child threshold is gone. Send proof of those bills to the other parent by July 1 of the next year, or the claim is waived.

How do you open a Colorado child support case?

Apply through Colorado Child Support Services, which supervises the system while each county office handles cases. Applying is free, and an online application can be saved for 60 days (Colorado CSS, apply). Colorado dropped its $20 application fee on January 1, 2022 (CDHS).

The office can establish parentage, set a child support and medical support order, collect payments, enforce and change orders (Colorado Child Support Services). If you apply and paternity is in question, the state pays for genetic testing up front; results usually take 7 to 10 business days.

One cost to know: if you have never received public assistance, the county takes a $35 yearly fee once more than $550 is collected for you in a year (C.R.S. Title 26). The legal aid guide covers free help if your case goes to court.

How do you receive child support payments in Colorado?

All Colorado child support payments go through the Family Support Registry. Call 303-299-9123 or 800-374-6558, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Family Support Registry).

Payments are processed the day they arrive and usually sent within two business days. You get them by direct deposit or on a free prepaid Visa card; if you choose neither, a card is sent automatically (Colorado CSS, receiving payments).

Most support is taken straight from the other parent's paycheck. Employers must start withholding within 14 calendar days of the order and send each payment within 7 business days of payday (Colorado CSS, income withholding).

What happens if the other parent does not pay?

Unpaid support stays owed until it is paid in full (Colorado CSS, enforcing orders). The state can use these tools:

• Paycheck: up to 50% of disposable pay if the parent supports another family, 60% if not, and 55% or 65% when arrears are over 12 weeks old (C.R.S. Title 13).
• Refunds and winnings: federal and state tax refunds, plus casino, lottery and sports betting winnings.
• Licenses and passports: driver's, professional and recreational licenses, and a passport hold.
• Bank and credit: a 30-day freeze on bank accounts and reports to credit bureaus.

Unpaid support due since July 1, 2021 can carry interest of 10% a year, which may be compounded yearly; older arrears can carry 12% (C.R.S. 14-14-106). You can waive that interest if you choose.

Can Colorado child support be changed?

Yes, but only for a real change. If the new math moves support by less than 10% a month, that is not enough to modify the order (C.R.S. 14-10-122). A change usually starts from the date the request is filed, not earlier.

Counties must tell both parents at least every 36 months that they can ask for a review. Send the request in writing with an Income and Expense Affidavit; a review can take up to six months (Colorado CSS, changing an order).

How does child support work with Colorado Works?

Colorado was the first state to pass 100% of current child support through to families on Colorado Works, its TANF cash program, starting in 2017 (CDHS, Colorado Works). That support does not cut your cash grant once you qualify.

At renewal, support that arrived in each of the past 6 months and averaged over $500 is counted for eligibility, though still not against the grant (CDHS training guide, June 2025). The basic grant for one parent and two children is $620 a month (9 CCR 2503-6).

Families on Colorado Works must assign support rights to the state and cooperate with child support. The Colorado grants guide covers the rest of the cash, food and tax help.

How long does child support last in Colorado?

For orders since July 1, 1997, support ends when the last child turns 19. If a child is still in high school, it runs to the end of the month after graduation; a child who left school and re-enrolled is covered only until 21. It can go longer for a child with a disability, or if the parents agree in writing (C.R.S. 14-10-115).

Colorado courts cannot order college support for those orders, but parents can agree to it. If you are writing a plan together, the co-parenting agreement guide shows what to put in writing.

Colorado child support checklist

1. Apply free through your county child support office
2. Gather both parents' income, child care and insurance costs
3. Count the overnights each parent has in a year
4. Run the court's guided worksheet for a 2026 estimate
5. Choose direct deposit or the prepaid card for payments
6. Track missed payments; arrears can carry 10% interest
7. Ask for a review every 36 months or after a big change

Moving between states? The Texas child support guide explains how a percentage-of-income state works instead.

Frequently asked questions

How much is child support in Colorado for one child?

It depends on both parents' combined income. On the 2026 schedule, basic support for one child is $1,209 a month at $8,000 of combined income, split by income share. If the paying parent earns 62.5% of the total, they owe about $756, before child care, insurance and any overnight credit.

What is the maximum child support in Colorado?

There is no fixed maximum. The 2026 schedule runs to $40,000 of combined monthly income, where support is $3,398 for one child and $4,992 for two. Above that, a judge decides the amount, but the presumed amount cannot be less than the top of the schedule.

Is it free to apply for child support in Colorado?

Yes. Colorado Child Support Services charges no application fee; the old $20 fee ended on January 1, 2022. If you never received public assistance, a $35 yearly fee is taken once more than $550 is collected for you in a year. CSS pays genetic testing up front.

At what age does child support stop in Colorado?

For orders since July 1, 1997, support ends when the last child turns 19. If the child is still in high school, it continues to the end of the month after graduation, or until 21 at most for a child who left school and re-enrolled. It can continue for a child with a disability or by written agreement.

Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in Colorado?

Not always. At 182.5 overnights each, each parent gets a 50% credit, but the parent with the higher income can still owe support because the obligation is split by income share. Since March 2026, every overnight earns a credit, not only time above 92 nights.

Sources

• Colorado Revised Statutes 2026, Title 14 (14-10-115, 14-10-122, 14-14-106) (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Revised Statutes 2026, Title 13, garnishment limits (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Revised Statutes 2026, Title 26, child support services (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado General Assembly, HB25-1159 final act (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, 2026 pay calculation order (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Judicial Branch, support worksheet forms update (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Judicial Branch, support worksheet instructions (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Judicial Branch, calculate support payments (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Child Support Services (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Child Support Services, apply for services (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Child Support Services, frequently asked questions (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Family Support Registry (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Child Support Services, receiving payments (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Child Support Services, income withholding (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Child Support Services, enforcing orders (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• Colorado Child Support Services, changing an order (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• CDHS, child support services more accessible (2022) (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• CDHS, Colorado Works (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• CDHS, Colorado Works child support pass-through guide (June 2025) (retrieved October 13, 2026)
• 9 CCR 2503-6, Colorado Works standards of assistance (retrieved October 13, 2026)