Colorado Springs Child Support Lawyer
Representing Both Parents in El Paso County Child Support Cases Since 1998
Law Office of Greg Quimby, P.C. has handled family law matters in Colorado Springs and El Paso County since 1998. Our attorneys collectively bring 50 years of combined legal experience to every case. Our team includes founding attorney Greg Quimby, attorney and certified mediator Erica Vasconcellos, attorney Amarysza Fenbert, and Licensed Legal Paraprofessional Sonnie Fleming. That depth means clients aren’t relying on a single attorney. They have a full team working alongside them.
We represent parents on both sides of a child support case: parents seeking to establish or enforce a support order and parents contesting an obligation or seeking a modification. Child support disputes arise in divorce proceedings, legal separations, and cases involving unmarried parents establishing parental responsibilities under the Fourth Judicial District. Whatever brought you here, we can help you understand where you stand and what options are available. Free initial consultations are available, and we respond to inquiries within 24 business hours.
Speak with a child support attorney in Colorado Springs today. Contact us online or call (719) 212-4227 for a free consultation.
How Colorado Calculates Child Support
Colorado family courts apply the Colorado Child Support Guidelines to determine how much support a parent owes. The state uses an Income Shares Model, which estimates what both parents would have spent on the child if the family remained intact and divides that obligation proportionally. The key inputs El Paso County courts consider include:
- The gross income of both parents (before tax withholdings or voluntary deductions)
- The number of children covered by the order
- The parenting time schedule and number of overnights each parent exercises
- Daycare and childcare expenses
- Health insurance costs
As of March 1, 2026, Colorado replaced its previous two-worksheet system with a single unified calculation under House Bill 25-1159. Under the old rules, courts applied Worksheet A when one parent had 92 or fewer overnights per year and Worksheet B when parenting time was more equally shared. The new law eliminates that threshold entirely. Every overnight a parent exercises now generates a proportional credit, with support adjusting gradually as parenting time changes rather than switching at a fixed cutoff. Colorado law also requires parents to share costs for extraordinary medical expenses, extracurricular activities, and dental or orthodontic care in proportion to their incomes, in addition to the basic support obligation.
Cases involving self-employed parents, military parents, or a parent accused of intentionally earning less than they could introduce additional complexity. Courts can impute income, meaning they assign an earning capacity rather than accepting reported income at face value, which changes the entire calculation.
How Long Do Child Support Payments Last in Colorado?
In Colorado, child support continues until a child turns 19, the state’s age of emancipation for support purposes. That default can be shortened or extended depending on the circumstances:
- If the child is still in high school at 19, payments continue until one month after graduation.
- If the child drops out and later re-enrolls, support continues until one month after graduation, but not beyond age 21.
- If the child is physically or mentally disabled, support may continue past age 19.
- If the child marries before age 19, he or she is considered emancipated and support ends, though it may be reinstated if the marriage ends.
- If the child joins the military before age 19, he or she is also considered emancipated and support ends.
One detail parents frequently overlook: when a family has multiple children and one child reaches emancipation, the existing support order doesn’t automatically decrease. A formal modification through the court is required before the paying parent can reduce payments. Paying less without a court order can result in arrears and enforcement action.
