All family law, child custody, or divorce cases in Colorado that involve children will involve a required child support order.  In order to make child support awards fair and consistent, and to improve the efficiency of the court process, the Colorado legislature has established as state policy a standard for child support.

Under the Uniform Dissolution of Marriage Act there are basic child support guidelines. Factors that courts may consider when awarding child support from one party to the other in a divorce proceeding are listed under Colorado Revised Statutes § 14-10-115 and include the financial resources of the child, the financial resources of the custodial parent(s), the standard of living the child would have enjoyed had the parents not divorced, the physical and emotional condition of the child and his or her educational needs, and the financial resources of the custodial parent. This is not an exhaustive list, and courts are encouraged to consider all relevant factors.

It is typical that divorcing parties adhere to the guidelines when calculating support.  Not doing so risks the possibility of the court rejecting the amount suggested by the parties. When it comes to child support, attorneys can assist parties in both determining what is fair and what will be accepted under the law. For assistance with your family law, child custody, or divorce case, feel free to contact us.