First you have to consider whether or not you have a basis for modifying child support in Colorado. Child support in Colorado is paid until the child reaches 19 years of age and then there’s some other factors which can come into play but essentially through age 19. Child support can always be modified by the court so you have to consider whether there has been an event that would result in a change in the child support obligation. The change needs to be a 10% change in the amount of the actual payment, so what goes into that?
You have to consider whether there has been a change in the number of overnights that the children are spending with the parents. That’s a factor that might result in modification of child support. Another factor to keep in mind is work-related day care expenses which are quite expensive here in Colorado actually. When the children get to be school age where they’re actually attending school all day long and maybe you only have before school and after school care and you’re not paying for fulltime day care costs, that would be a reason to consider modifying child support.
Another reason to modify child support is there’s been a change in health insurance coverage for the children. Usually the premiums related to the children’s portion of health insurance aren’t that huge but maybe there’s been a change that might change the child support obligation because if you are paying for the health insurance for the children, you should get credit for that on the child support worksheet.
Another factor to keep in mind is income, so has your income changed? Has your ex’s income changed? That’s another reason to consider modifying child support. Essentially to modify child support you need to file a motion with the court seeking to modify child support or if you’re able to reach an agreement with your ex, you can file a stipulation modifying child support with the court along with a proposed order requesting that the court adopt your stipulation as an order of the court. You would also need to submit a proposed child support worksheet.
If you think you have a reason for modifying child support here in Colorado, give us a call. Make an appointment to come in and see me and we can run the child support worksheets and decide whether or not you do indeed have a reason to modify child support.
