Determining Child And Spousal Support Awards

Child support and spousal maintenance may continue for many years after your divorce is final. For this reason, it is important to ensure that these obligations are determined fairly and accurately.

At Wick & Trautwein, LLC, our attorneys have decades of experience dealing with issues such as child support, spousal maintenance and changes to existing support agreements. With offices conveniently located in Fort Collins and Windsor, we represent individuals and families throughout northern Colorado.

Colorado Child Support Guidelines

Child support in Colorado is calculated using a formula that considers factors such as the incomes of both parties, the number of children supported, the number of overnight visits you have with your children each year, and expenses for health care, day care and education. However, determining child support payments is rarely as easy as plugging numbers into a spreadsheet.

For example, if your spouse is self-employed or has income that is not reported on a W-2, determining income can be complex. When necessary, our attorneys use forensic accountants and other experts to ensure that all income is reported. In addition, there may be circumstances when you can deviate from the guidelines. It is therefore important to have an experienced advocate working for you to determine how these obligations should be calculated.

Colorado Spousal Maintenance

Courts in Colorado often order temporary spousal maintenance while the divorce is in process. Courts also have the discretion to order post-divorce maintenance (also known as alimony) to help the lower-income spouse get back on his or her feet. Post-divorce maintenance is rarely permanent.

While courts use a formula to determine temporary maintenance, there is no formula for post-divorce maintenance.

In addition, spousal maintenance can have important tax consequences. Therefore, the skill and experience of your attorney are important factors in determining how much maintenance should be awarded and how long it should continue.

We Can Help You Find Answers To Your Complex Legal Problems

Questions regarding support can be much more complicated than they appear, and you need an experienced attorney to help you learn about the options in your situation. For more information or to schedule a consultation with our lawyers, call 970-482-4011 or fill out the contact form on this website.