Colorado Dissolution With Children — Parenting Plan and Child Support (2026)

Colorado uses "allocation of parental responsibilities" (APR) as the legal framework for what other states call custody. The Parenting Plan (JDF 1113) and Child Support Order (JDF 1111) are required in every dissolution involving minor children.

Allocation of Parental Responsibilities (APR)

Colorado law (CRS §14-10-124) addresses two components:

Decision-making responsibility: Who makes major decisions about the child's education, healthcare, and religious upbringing.

  • Joint decision-making: Both parents share major decisions (preferred when parents can cooperate)
  • Primary decision-making: One parent makes major decisions

Parenting time: The schedule for each parent's time with the child.

  • Equal parenting time: 50/50 schedule
  • Primary residential parent: One parent has majority of parenting time; the other has scheduled parenting time

Parenting Plan (JDF 1113) — Required

All required elements:

Parenting time schedule:

  • School year schedule: specific days and times
  • Summer schedule
  • Exchanges: when, where, who transports

Holiday schedule:

  • Each named holiday (winter break, spring break, Thanksgiving, Christmas, summer vacation, birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day)
  • Alternation pattern (odd/even years, or specific assignments)

Decision-making:

  • Joint or primary for education, medical, religious decisions
  • Day-to-day decisions: made by parent who has the child that day

Communication:

  • Phone and video contact with non-primary parent

Dispute resolution:

  • Process for resolving parenting disagreements

Best Interest Factors (CRS §14-10-124)

Colorado courts consider best interest factors including:

  1. Wishes of the child (if old enough to form and express a preference)
  2. Interaction and interrelationship of the child with parents, siblings, and others
  3. Child's adjustment to home, school, and community
  4. Mental and physical health of all individuals involved
  5. Each parent's ability to foster a positive relationship between the child and the other parent
  6. Each parent's past pattern of involvement with the child
  7. Distance between the parents' homes
  8. Evidence of domestic violence or abuse

Child Support — JDF 1820 Worksheet

Colorado uses the Income Shares Model (CRS §14-10-115).

Calculation factors:

  • Both parents' gross monthly incomes
  • Number of children
  • Parenting time overnights (adjusted obligation when non-primary parent has 93+ overnights)
  • Health insurance premiums (for children)
  • Work-related childcare costs

Calculate at: Colorado's online child support calculator (courts.state.co.us) or complete JDF 1820 manually.

Duration: Child support continues until age 19 in Colorado (not 18 — Colorado is distinctive).

Modification After Dissolution

The Parenting Plan can be modified upon a substantial and continuing change of circumstances. Child support can be modified when income or parenting time changes by 10% or more.

Last reviewed: March 2026 | JDF 1113 (Parenting Plan) | JDF 1820 (Child Support Worksheet) | CRS §14-10-124 | Child support to age 19 in Colorado

Last reviewed: March 2026 · Verify current fees and forms with your local court before filing.