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Browse our 1 legal question about Child Support in United States and the lawyer answers, or ask your own questions for free.
it is the discretionary power of the court to determine the amount for the support of your child, it is not fixed amount
Read full answerChild support in Greenwood Village is governed by Colorado state law and administered through Colorado courts and child support enforcement agencies. The purpose of child support is to ensure that a child receives financial support from both parents, regardless of whether the parents live together. The state uses guideline calculations to set a presumptive support amount based on the parents ability to pay, the childs needs, and the time the child spends with each parent. Greenwood Village residents who need to establish, modify, or enforce support will work with local family courts and, if applicable, state child support services.
Many situations make legal help valuable or necessary in child support matters:
- Establishing paternity when the parents are unmarried, or when genetic testing is disputed.
- Calculating support in complex income situations, such as self-employment, bonuses, stock options, overtime, unemployment, or disability benefits.
- Seeking or defending against a modification when income, custody, or parenting time changes significantly.
- Enforcing payment when a parent falls behind - including wage garnishment, tax refund intercept, liens, or contempt actions.
- Resolving interstate cases where a parent lives outside Colorado - these can involve special rules under interstate support laws.
- Negotiating agreements, mediation, or settlement language that includes special expenses like health insurance, daycare, or extraordinary medical costs.
Even when a case seems straightforward, a lawyer can explain local procedure, prepare accurate financial disclosures, review proposed orders, and reduce the risk of costly mistakes.
Key aspects of Colorado law that apply to Greenwood Village child support cases include the following:
- Guidelines and Presumptive Support - Colorado uses statutory child support guidelines to produce a presumptive support amount. Judges generally start with the guideline figure and may deviate if specific circumstances justify a different result.
- Income Considerations - Courts look at gross income from all sources for both parents. That can include wages, self-employment income, commissions, bonuses, unemployment, workers compensation, disability, and certain public benefits.
- Parenting Time and Adjustments - The amount of time a child spends with each parent can affect support calculations through adjustments or offsets.
- Health Care and Childcare - Reasonable, necessary health insurance premiums, uninsured medical costs, and work-related childcare expenses are typically addressed in orders, allocated between parents based on income.
- Modifications - Support orders can be modified when there is a substantial and continuing change in circumstances, such as a significant change in income or parenting time.
- Enforcement - Colorado has enforcement tools including wage garnishment, interception of state and federal tax refunds, liens, license suspensions, and contempt proceedings. The Colorado child support enforcement agency can assist with collections.
- Interstate Cases - When one parent lives in another state, Colorado applies the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act procedures to register and enforce orders across state lines.
Child support is calculated using Colorados child support guidelines. The process generally combines both parents incomes, applies a schedule to determine a base obligation, and then allocates that obligation between the parents based on their relative incomes and parenting time. Courts also account for health insurance premiums, childcare costs, and extraordinary expenses.
The court looks at all sources of income for each parent. That includes wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, self-employment income, unemployment benefits, workers compensation, disability payments, and some public benefits. Courts may impute income if a parent is voluntarily underemployed or unemployed to avoid support obligations.
Paternity can be established voluntarily by signing a legal acknowledgment of paternity or by a court order. If paternity is disputed, the court can order genetic testing. Establishing paternity is a prerequisite for obtaining child support for children born to unmarried parents.
Yes. A parent can ask the court to modify a support order if there has been a substantial and continuing change in circumstances, such as a major income increase or decrease, a significant change in parenting time, or changed needs of the child. Temporary or minor changes usually do not qualify for modification.
If a parent does not pay, Colorado enforcement tools can be used. These include wage garnishment, intercepting tax refunds, placing liens on property, suspending professional or driver licenses, and filing contempt motions that can lead to fines or jail in extreme cases. The state child support enforcement office can start many of these actions.
Child support typically covers basic living expenses, health care, and childcare. College expenses are not automatically included in routine child support orders and are handled separately. Courts may order contributions to higher education costs in some cases, but that depends on the parents circumstances, the childs needs, and local practice.
Support obligations usually continue until the child reaches the age of emancipation under Colorado law, commonly 19 years old, or until graduation from high school under certain circumstances. Some obligations for post-secondary education can be ordered separately. Unpaid arrears do not disappear when the child turns 18 and can be enforced indefinitely.
Interstate child support cases are handled under federal and uniform interstate laws that allow orders to be registered and enforced across state lines. The Colorado child support enforcement agency and local courts will work under those rules to pursue support from a nonresident parent.
Yes. The Colorado child support enforcement program can assist with locating a parent, establishing paternity, obtaining orders, and enforcing payments. There may be eligibility requirements depending on the type of services requested.
Mediation can be an efficient way to resolve disputes about support, parenting time, and related issues without a contested court trial. Mediated agreements become part of the court order if the judge approves them. If mediation is not possible or the other parent will not cooperate, filing in court is the next step.
Helpful resources for people in Greenwood Village include state and local institutions and legal assistance programs:
- Colorado Department of Human Services - Child Support Services for enforcement and case management assistance.
- Colorado Judicial Branch self-help services and forms for family law matters.
- Arapahoe County family court or the appropriate local division of the district court that handles domestic relations in the Greenwood Village area.
- Legal Aid organizations such as Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado and community legal clinics that provide help to low-income residents.
- Colorado Bar Association lawyer referral services and local family law attorneys experienced in child support matters.
- Community mediation centers that offer family law mediation services.
If you need legal assistance with child support, consider these practical steps:
- Gather Documents - Collect pay stubs, tax returns, proof of benefits, childcare bills, health insurance invoices, parenting time records, and any existing court orders or agreements.
- Evaluate Options - Decide whether you want to try negotiation or mediation first, or whether you need to file with the court or contact the state child support enforcement office.
- Consult a Lawyer - Contact a family law attorney for an initial consultation to discuss how the guidelines apply to your situation, likely outcomes, and your legal rights. Ask about fees, retainer requirements, and whether a free or low-cost consultation is available.
- File or Contact Enforcement - If you need to establish, change, or enforce support now, you can file a petition in the appropriate Colorado court or contact Colorado child support services to open a case.
- Keep Records - Maintain accurate records of payments, expenses, and parenting time. Good documentation helps with enforcement and modification requests.
Child support matters can be emotionally and financially stressful. Getting clear advice early, using local resources, and following court procedures will help you protect your childs best interests and reach a sustainable outcome.
