Asset Division
Understand equitable distribution, retirement account splits, and home equity buyouts with Colorado-specific examples.
Colorado Divorce Planning
Colorado Divorce Calculator, Guides & Checklists
Build a Colorado divorce financial portrait in minutes, then dive into plain-language guides covering asset division, support calculations, and next steps. Everything reflects divorce in Colorado: the latest statutes, court timelines, filing fee updates, and the core Colorado divorce requirements you need to prepare with confidence.
- Built for Colorado
- Uses state-specific alimony, child support, and timeline data updated for 2025.
- Attorney friendly
- Download or print your results to share with mediators, attorneys, or financial advisors.
- Free to use
- No account required. Work through calculators and guides whenever you need them.
What you can calculate
Projected alimony and child support under Colorado maintenance guidelines.
Current Colorado divorce filing fee details and typical add-on costs before you go to the clerk.
Timeline checklist for filing, serving, disclosures, mediation, and final orders.
Budget snapshot with monthly income, household expenses, and parenting time inputs.
Downloadable financial portrait to bring to consultations or mediation sessions.
Calculation Methodology: How We Estimate Support
Our calculators are built directly on the Colorado Revised Statutes to ensure the estimates you see reflect the actual formulas used by courts and family law professionals. Understanding the math behind the numbers can help you prepare for mediation and negotiations with confidence.
Child Support (C.R.S. § 14-10-115)
Colorado uses an "Income Shares Model" for child support, which is designed to ensure children receive the same proportion of parental income they would have had if the parents lived together. This approach assumes that as income increases, the proportion spent on children decreases, even if the absolute amount increases. Our calculator implements the 2025 guidelines through several specific steps:
1. Determination of Gross Income
We start by summing the monthly gross income of both parents. Under C.R.S. § 14-10-115(5)(a), "gross income" is broad and includes income from any source, such as salaries, wages, commissions, bonuses, dividends, severance pay, pensions, and trust income. It also includes potential income if a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.
2. The Basic Obligation
The combined gross income is matched to the statutory Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations. This table defines the baseline amount parents at that income level are expected to spend on children.
3. Parenting Time Adjustment (Worksheet A vs. B)
The calculation shifts significantly based on overnights. If a parent has fewer than 93 overnights, we use Worksheet A (Sole Physical Care). If both parents have 93 or more overnights, we use Worksheet B (Shared Physical Care), which applies a 1.5 multiplier to the basic obligation to account for duplicated household expenses.
4. Expense Splitting
Finally, we add specific child-rearing costs—health insurance premiums, work-related child care, and extraordinary educational or medical expenses—and divide them between parents in proportion to their adjusted gross incomes.
Spousal Maintenance (C.R.S. § 14-10-114)
Alimony, known legally as spousal maintenance in Colorado, is not guaranteed but is guided by advisory formulas for marriages lasting at least three years. The purpose is to provide financial assistance to a spouse who needs it and to ensure a fair allocation of resources.
The Advisory Formula (The 40% Rule)
For couples with a combined annual adjusted gross income of $240,000 or less (often applied up to $360,000), the statute suggests a monthly amount equal to 40% of the higher earner's monthly adjusted gross income minus 50% of the lower earner's monthly adjusted gross income.
Crucial Cap: The recipient's total income (maintenance received + their own gross income) generally cannot exceed 40% of the couple's combined monthly adjusted gross income. Our calculator automatically applies this cap to prevent over-payment scenarios.
Duration of Payments
The recommended duration is a percentage of the marriage length, starting at 31% for 3-year marriages and increasing to 50% for marriages of 12.5 years or more. For marriages over 20 years, courts have discretion to award maintenance for longer periods or indefinitely.
Tax Implications
Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, spousal maintenance is generally not tax-deductible for the payor and not taxable income for the recipient for federal income tax purposes (for decrees finalized after Dec 31, 2018). Our estimates reflect these "after-tax" realities.
Important Note on Judicial Discretion: While these formulas provide a strong baseline, they are advisory. Under C.R.S. § 14-10-114(3)(c), courts must look at factors beyond the math, including the standard of living during the marriage, the age and health of the parties, and the ability of the payor spouse to meet their own needs. High-asset cases or those involving complex income (like business ownership) often require nuanced deviations from these standard calculations.
Colorado Divorce Tips & Requirements for 2025
The most common questions we hear focus on affordability, timing, and what Colorado courts require in the first 60 days. Use these quick Colorado divorce tips as a checklist before you file.
- Confirm eligibility: Make sure you meet the residency and paperwork deadlines outlined in our Colorado divorce requirements guide so your petition isn’t rejected for technical reasons.
- Budget for the court: The statewide Colorado divorce filing fee is currently $230, and many counties add $10–$30 for e-filing and sheriff service. Bring fee-waiver paperwork (JDF 205) if you plan to request relief.
- Consider online filing: Most districts now allow you to file divorce online in Colorado through the Integrated Colorado Courts E-Filing System (ICCES). You can still file in person if you prefer a paper trail.
- Estimate support early: Run the Colorado child support calculator and alimony calculator in Colorado inside our financial portrait so you have realistic numbers ahead of mediation.
- Track total costs: Beyond filing fees, plan for parenting classes ($75–$150), mediation, and document prep so you have a clear picture of the typical Colorado divorce cost.
Content Pillars
Dive deeper into Colorado divorce planning
Explore our core resource libraries. Each guide focuses on the questions Colorado families ask most when balancing finances, parenting, and property.
Read the asset guide →
Alimony & Child Support
Get clarity on maintenance formulas, shared parenting adjustments, and how judges interpret financial affidavits.
FAQs
Quick answers to common questions about timelines, fees, paperwork, and what to expect in Colorado family courts.
Featured planning guides
Build confidence before you file. These step-by-step walkthroughs cover timelines, required disclosures, and ways to stay organized.
Colorado Divorce Checklist
Stay on top of deadlines for disclosures, mediation, and final orders with a printable checklist.
Get the checklist →How to File in Colorado
Learn the filing sequence, mandatory forms, filing fees, and service rules before you head to court.
Read the filing guide →Colorado Divorce Rules
Understand terminology, court expectations, and the factors that influence judicial decisions.
Review the rules →Does Cheating Affect Divorce?
Learn how Colorado's no-fault rules treat infidelity and when economic or parenting fallout can influence a case.
Read the infidelity guide →Filing near you
Get specific details on courthouse parking, clerk hours, and local mediation rules for the major Colorado judicial districts.
Denver County
2nd Judicial District
Step-by-step guide for filing divorce in Denver (1437 Bannock). Includes parking tips, clerk room numbers, filing fees, and local mediation rules.
El Paso County
4th Judicial District
El Paso County divorce guide. Learn about FCF 400, military divorce considerations in Colorado Springs, and mandatory mediation rules at the Tejon St. courthouse.
Arapahoe County
18th Judicial District
How to file for divorce in Arapahoe County. Details on the Potomac St. Justice Center, Self-Help Center hours, and 18th Judicial District mediation rules.
Jefferson County
1st Judicial District
File for divorce in Golden, CO. Guide to the Jefferson County Administration & Courts Facility, free parking info, and 1st Judicial District rules.
Adams County
17th Judicial District
Filing for divorce in Brighton, CO. Adams County Justice Center guide, filing hours, and 17th Judicial District family law procedures.
FAQs
Colorado divorce questions we hear most
Straightforward answers drawn from Colorado statutes, court procedures, and the data behind our calculators.
How accurate is the Colorado divorce calculator?
The calculator follows the latest Colorado statutory maintenance guidelines and child support formula. It provides an estimate to help you plan, but final numbers depend on a full financial review and judicial discretion.
Can I save or export my financial portrait?
You can print or export the results after generating a financial portrait. Bring the summary to consultations so attorneys and mediators can quickly review your baseline numbers.
What documents should I gather for asset division?
Collect recent statements for bank accounts, retirement plans, mortgages, and major loans. The asset division guide walks through the documents courts typically expect in Colorado divorces.
Does Colorado require alimony in every divorce?
No. Maintenance (alimony) is based on income, marriage length, and each spouse's financial circumstances. The alimony & child support guide explains how Colorado courts approach eligibility and duration.