Child support on $120,000 a year in Colorado (4 children)
Colorado guidelines effective March 1, 2026. Colorado overview
If Parent A earns $120,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the children live mostly with Parent B (52 overnights a year with Parent A), Colorado's guideline amount is $2,210 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Across the table below it ranges from $175 (Parent B earns $100,000, equal time) to $2,628 (Parent B has no income, Parent A has no overnights).
This is the guideline amount, not a court order.
Change the numbers
Guideline child support
Colorado · 4 children · Parent A $120000 per year · Parent B $40000 per year · children live mostly with Parent B
$2,210 a month
Parent A pays Parent B
- Parent A: 75% of combined income
- Parent B: 25%
How it adds up
- Combined income
- $13,333 a month
- Basic obligation
- $3,169 a month
- Parent A's share of income
- 75%
- Guideline amount
- $2,210 a month
See the worksheet for this example
- Colorado's guidelines change on January 1, 2027. Switch versions above to compare.
Colorado uses the income shares model under C.R.S. § 14-10-115 (as amended by HB 25-1159 and HB 26-1217). Official calculator: www.coloradojudicial.gov. Child support agency: Colorado Department of Human Services, Child Support Services.
Estimate under Colorado's child support guidelines effective March 1, 2026. Verified against the official Colorado sources on October 7, 2026. Not legal advice. Courts can deviate from the guidelines. How we calculate →
By parenting time and the other parent's income
| Overnights | $0 | $20,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $50,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | $2,628 A→B | $2,523 A→B | $2,465 A→B | $2,377 A→B | $2,315 A→B | $2,253 A→B | $2,131 A→B | $2,097 A→B |
| 52 | $2,490 A→B | $2,368 A→B | $2,302 A→B | $2,210 A→B | $2,142 A→B | $2,075 A→B | $1,944 A→B | $1,894 A→B |
| 104 | $2,193 A→B | $2,036 A→B | $1,955 A→B | $1,853 A→B | $1,772 A→B | $1,694 A→B | $1,544 A→B | $1,461 A→B |
| 128 | $1,976 A→B | $1,793 A→B | $1,701 A→B | $1,591 A→B | $1,502 A→B | $1,415 A→B | $1,250 A→B | $1,143 A→B |
| 182 | $1,314 A→B | $1,051 A→B | $924 A→B | $792 A→B | $675 A→B | $563 A→B | $355 A→B | $175 A→B |
The Colorado worksheet for this example
| Line | Official label | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monthly Gross Income (Pt)Parent A's monthly gross income | $10,000.00 a month |
| 1 | Monthly Gross Income (C/R)Parent B's monthly gross income | $3,333.33 a month |
| 2 | Monthly Adjusted Gross Income (Pt)Parent A's adjusted gross income | $10,000.00 a month |
| 2 | Monthly Adjusted Gross Income (C/R)Parent B's adjusted gross income | $3,333.33 a month |
| 2 | Monthly Adjusted Gross Income (Combined)Combined adjusted gross income | $13,333.33 a month |
| 3 | Percentage of Shared Income (Pt)Parent A's income share | 75% |
| 3 | Percentage of Shared Income (C/R)Parent B's income share | 25% |
| 4 | Basic Combined Support ObligationSchedule amount | $3,169.33 a month |
| 5 | Each Parent's Proportional Share of Basic Support Obligation (Pt)Parent A's share | $2,377.00 a month |
| 5 | Each Parent's Proportional Share of Basic Support Obligation (C/R)Parent B's share | $792.33 a month |
| 5a | Overnights with Each Parent (Pt)Parent A's overnights | 52 |
| 5a | Overnights with Each Parent (C/R)Parent B's overnights | 313 |
| 5b | Parenting Time Credit Percentage (Pt)Parent A's credit percentage | $0.00 a month |
| 5b | Parenting Time Credit Percentage (C/R)Parent B's credit percentage | $0.01 a month |
| 5c | Shared Parenting Time Adjustment (Pt)Parent A's parenting time credit | $167.02 a month |
| 5c | Shared Parenting Time Adjustment (C/R)Parent B's parenting time credit | $3,002.31 a month |
| 6 | Each Parent's Obligation Before Expense Adjustment (Pt)Parent A's amount after the credit | $2,209.98 a month |
| 6 | Each Parent's Obligation Before Expense Adjustment (C/R)Parent B's amount after the credit | $0.00 a month |
| 12 | Each Parent's Adjusted Support Obligation (Pt)Parent A's adjusted amount | $2,209.98 a month |
| 12 | Each Parent's Adjusted Support Obligation (C/R)Parent B's adjusted amount | $0.00 a month |
| SSR | Self-Support Reserve (C.R.S. § 14-10-115(3)(g.5))Self-support reserve | $1,831.83 a month |
| 13 | Recommended Child Support PaymentGuideline amount | $2,209.98 a month |
Open the official JDF 1821 Support Worksheet For Child and Spousal Support →
With child care and health insurance
| Costs | Guideline amount |
|---|---|
| No add-ons | $2,210 a month A→B |
| Child care $500 a month | $2,585 a month A→B |
| Child care $1,000 a month | $2,960 a month A→B |
| Health insurance $150 a month | $2,322 a month A→B |
| Health insurance $300 a month | $2,435 a month A→B |
Work-related and education-related child care (after the federal tax credit), the children's health insurance premium and ongoing extraordinary medical expenses are added to the basic obligation and shared by income; the parent who pays them gets credit.
Things to know about this example
- Colorado's guidelines change on January 1, 2027. Switch versions above to compare.
How Colorado works it out
Colorado uses the income shares model: the schedule gives the basic obligation for the parents' combined monthly adjusted gross income, interpolated between rows, and each parent is responsible for their share of it.
Gross income from almost all sources counts, before taxes. Spousal maintenance between the parents is deducted from the payer's income and added to the recipient's after it is multiplied by 1.25, or by 1.33 when combined income is above $10,000 a month.
Every overnight counts. The parenting time table gives each parent a credit percentage for their overnights; that percentage of the total basic obligation is subtracted from the parent's share, and the parent who owes more pays the difference. With equal time each parent's credit is half, so the parent with the larger income share pays.
Frequently asked questions
How much child support is paid on $120,000 in Colorado for 4 children?
If Parent A earns $120,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the children live mostly with Parent B (52 overnights a year with Parent A), Colorado's guideline amount is about $2,210 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
How much is that a week?
That is about $510 a week (the monthly amount × 12 ÷ 52).
What if the parents share time equally?
With about equal parenting time and the same incomes, the guideline amount is about $792 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
What if Parent B has no income?
If Parent B has no income and the children live mostly with Parent B, the guideline amount is about $2,490 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Official sources and verification
- Law: C.R.S. § 14-10-115 (as amended by HB 25-1159 and HB 26-1217)
- Colorado child support guidelines
- JDF 1821 Support Worksheet For Child and Spousal Support
- Official Colorado child support calculator
- Colorado Department of Human Services, Child Support Services
- Changing a Colorado child support order
Guidelines effective March 1, 2026. Verified against the official Colorado sources on October 7, 2026. How we calculate →