Colorado Child Support Calculator – Accurate & Easy to Use

What Is the Colorado Child Support Calculator?

The Colorado Child Support Calculator is an interactive tool that applies the official Colorado Revised Statutes § 14-10-115, using real formulas from state law.

You plug in information like:

• Each parent’s monthly income
• Number of children
• Overnights each parent has
• Costs like child care, health insurance, and extraordinary expenses

The calculator does the math behind the scenes and gives you an estimated monthly support payment based on current legal formulas.

How the Calculator Works (Simple Breakdown)

The calculator uses two key worksheets from Colorado law:

Worksheet A – Sole Physical Care

Used when one parent has the child most of the time (more than 273 overnights/year). The other parent pays a portion of the total child-rearing cost.

Worksheet B – Shared Physical Care

Used when both parents have the child at least 93 overnights/year. Support is adjusted based on time spent with the child and income ratio between parents.

Here’s what happens under the hood:

1. Income Inputs
   Each parent enters their gross income (before taxes) and any adjustments (e.g., other support payments).
2. Calculate Combined Income
   The tool adds both incomes together to get a combined adjusted gross income.
3. Obligation Table
   Based on combined income and number of children, the tool pulls a number from the state’s obligation schedule.
4. Add Shared Costs
   Child care, health insurance, and extra expenses are added in.
5. Time Share Factor
   If parenting time is split, the tool adjusts the obligation using a 1.5 multiplier and prorates based on overnights.
6. Final Calculation
   It calculates who owes who—and how much.

Why This Calculator Matters

Let’s be real: child support is often emotional, and confusion doesn’t help.

This calculator:

• Provides transparency
• Reduces conflict
• Helps both parents plan financially
• Gives a realistic estimate before going to court or mediation

It’s not a legal ruling—but it’s based on real law and gives you a solid starting point.

Example: What You’ll Need to Use It

Before you sit down to use the calculator, gather:

• Both parents’ monthly gross income
• Adjustments (e.g., other support paid)
• Number of children
• Approximate number of overnights per year with each parent
• Monthly child care costs
• Monthly health insurance for children
• Any extraordinary expenses (e.g., medical, educational)

Just plug it in, click “Calculate,” and you’ll get:

• Which worksheet applies (A or B)
• Total child support obligation
• Who pays whom, and how much

Legal Disclaimer

The tool is based on Colorado’s guidelines but is not a legal opinion. The courts can (and often do) deviate based on special circumstances. Always speak with a qualified family law attorney for tailored advice.

Behind the Scenes: How It Calculates the Payment

For those who want a peek into the math, here’s what’s powering the engine:

• The tool uses a Colorado schedule of basic child support obligations that increases with income and number of children.
• When parenting is shared, each parent’s responsibility is calculated based on income percentage and overnights.
• In shared cases, the calculator multiplies the basic obligation by 1.5, then adjusts for how much time each parent spends with the child.
• The parent with the higher adjusted obligation pays the difference to the other.

The tool even accounts for:

• Work-related child care
• Children’s health insurance premiums
• Medical, educational, or other extraordinary expenses

These shared costs are divided proportionally between the parents.

Try the Calculator Now

The calculator is designed to be:

• Mobile-friendly
• Easy to use
• Visually clean
• And fast

Just enter the numbers and hit “Calculate.” You’ll instantly see:

• Which worksheet applies
• Basic obligation
• Final estimated monthly payment

And if you want to start over? Just hit “Reset.