Colorado’s new child support calculation will go into effect on March 1, 2026. This is a major revision to the Colorado child support guidelines. This new child support calculation introduces significant changes intended to create a more equitable child support result for Colorado families and redefines shared parenting.
In terms of the dollar impact, the changes were significant. In some sample cases we tried, the support award under the new guideline was around 10% higher than under the existing guidelines.
These changes have been released in Family Law Software. Professionals now have the option to use the new Colorado child support guideline, which becomes effective on March 1, 2026. Users will see the new option on the Support Data > Support /Maintc Data page, by clicking the “Complete” link at the top of the screen.
This article will outline the latest updates in Colorado child support calculations.
Shared Parenting Time: Every Night Counts
Under the new law, “Shared Physical Care” means that each parent has the children for at least one overnight a year. This is a major change, as there is no longer a cliff at 93 overnights, after which sole custody becomes shared custody. Instead, there is a smoothly increasing curve which steadily reduces the support award for each overnight spent with the less-custodial parent.
The new guidelines also make clear, in no case shall the amount of child support owed by a parent with shared physical care exceed the amount owed by that same parent if that parent had no overnights.
Family Law Software will run the child support calculations twice assuming both parties have overnights. The calculation will run once with actual overnights, and once with no overnights for the obligor. Then, the lower result is used.
In our tests, we always achieved the lowest result using actual overnights, but both calculations are always run and always shown, so judges and attorneys can know for sure which produced the lowest result.
Updated Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations
Federal regulations require every state to review child support guidelines every four years. While these reviews don’t always produce major revisions, Colorado’s latest update will lead to higher child support orders in most cases. Specifically, the state has updated the schedule of basic child support obligations. The table has been fully updated to reflect the impacts of inflation and the increased costs of raising children.
The top line covered in the schedule was increased and now covers combined incomes of up to $40,000 per month ($480,000 per year). Family Law Software still has an option to extrapolate guidelines beyond $40,000 per month.
The Self-Support Reserve
Colorado has officially codified a Self-Support Reserve (SSR). This is new to the statute, but not a new concept. Federal law requires states to incorporate some form of a self-support reserve or low-income adjustment into their child support guidelines to ensure compliance with federal requirements that child support orders take account of low-income obligors’ ability to pay.
The SSR, for purposes of the Colorado child support guidelines and schedule of basic support obligations, means an amount equal to the Colorado hourly minimum wage for the year in which child support commences ($15.16 for 2026), times twenty-nine hours a week, multiplied by fifty weeks a year, divided by twelve months. In 2026, the SSR is $1,831.83.
The SSR is applied as described below in the section on income limitation rules.
Colorado Child Support in Low Income Cases
Due to the significant changes in the calculation of support awards in low-income cases, Family Law Software implemented two additional worksheets covering the income-based child support limitations.
Our latest release includes the State Court Administrator’s Office official worksheet, plus the additional worksheets.
Colorado 2026 Income Limitation Rules for Low Income Cases
- If the obligor’s income is $650 or less, the final obligation is a flat $10 per month.
- If the obligor’s income is more than $650 and less than the Self-Support Reserve (SSR), the obligation after the time-sharing adjustment is limited to a flat monthly amount based on the number of children ($50, $70, $90, $110, $130, or $150, for one through six children respectively). The SSR is the monthly minimum wage calculated using 29 hours a week and 50 weeks a year.
- If the obligor’s income is more than the SSR, the obligation after the time-sharing adjustment is limited to the product of a multiplier (80% – 95%, depending on the number of children) times the amount of the obligor’s income in excess of the SSR. However, the result can’t be less than the amount specified for incomes between $650 and the SSR.
After the obligation has been adjusted for expenses such as child care and health care paid by each parent:
- If the obligor’s income is more than $650 and less than or equal to the SSR, the final obligation is limited to 10% of the obligor’s income.
- If the obligor’s income is more than the SSR and less than or equal to the minimum wage calculated for 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year, the final obligation is limited to 20% of the obligor’s income.
As always, Family Law Software is committed to providing the most accurate, current, and user friendly implementations of the Colorado child support guidelines.
If you use the Cloud software, you will get the changes when you next log in.
If you use the Desktop software, click here to update your software.
Thank you for making us the leading software for family law professionals nationwide.
Helpful Resources:
Colorado House Bill 25-1159: https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/40922/download