Note: Colorado guidelines typically apply to marriages lasting at least 36 months.
Calculation Summary
Estimated Monthly Support:
Suggested Duration:
Combined Monthly Income:
*This calculation is based on the Colorado Statutory Guidelines (C.R.S. § 14-10-114). Actual awards are subject to court discretion and may differ based on specific tax implications or combined incomes exceeding $250,000 annually.
In Colorado, "alimony" is legally referred to as Spousal Maintenance. The state uses a specific formula to determine the advisory amount and duration of support for couples whose combined annual gross income is under $250,000. While these guidelines are not strictly mandatory, judges use them as a starting point for most divorce proceedings.
How the Amount is Calculated
The Colorado "40/50 rule" is the mathematical backbone of maintenance calculations. The formula is as follows:
Take 40% of the higher earner's monthly gross income.
Subtract 50% of the lower earner's monthly gross income.
The Cap: The total amount received by the lower earner (their own income plus the maintenance) cannot exceed 40% of the couple's combined monthly gross income.
Determining the Duration
The length of the maintenance award depends heavily on the duration of the marriage. Colorado law provides a table (C.R.S. § 14-10-114) that assigns a percentage of the marriage length to the maintenance term. For example:
Marriage Length
Guideline Duration %
3 Years (36 Months)
31% (approx. 11 months)
5 Years (60 Months)
35% (approx. 21 months)
10 Years (120 Months)
45% (approx. 54 months)
12.5+ Years (150+ Months)
50% of the marriage length
Important Factors the Court Considers
While the calculator provides a mathematical estimate, Colorado judges have the authority to deviate from these numbers based on:
The financial resources of each party.
The distribution of marital property during the divorce.
The lifestyle established during the marriage.
The age and health (physical and emotional) of both spouses.
The earning capacity of each spouse.
Example Scenario
If Spouse A earns $10,000 per month and Spouse B earns $2,000 per month after a 10-year marriage:
40% of $10,000 = $4,000
50% of $2,000 = $1,000
Difference: $3,000
Combined income is $12,000. 40% of $12,000 is $4,800. Since Spouse B's income ($2,000) + maintenance ($3,000) = $5,000 (which exceeds $4,800), the maintenance would likely be adjusted down to $2,800.
function calculateAlimony() {
var payor = parseFloat(document.getElementById("payorIncome").value);
var payee = parseFloat(document.getElementById("payeeIncome").value);
var months = parseFloat(document.getElementById("marriageMonths").value);
if (isNaN(payor) || isNaN(payee) || isNaN(months)) {
alert("Please enter valid numbers for all fields.");
return;
}
// Colorado Formula: (40% of higher) – (50% of lower)
var rawAmount = (0.40 * payor) – (0.50 * payee);
// Cap calculation: (Income + Support) cannot exceed 40% of combined income
var combinedMonthly = payor + payee;
var maxTotalIncomeForPayee = 0.40 * combinedMonthly;
var maxSupportPossible = maxTotalIncomeForPayee – payee;
var finalAmount = rawAmount;
if (finalAmount > maxSupportPossible) {
finalAmount = maxSupportPossible;
}
if (finalAmount < 0) {
finalAmount = 0;
}
// Duration Logic based on Colorado Statutory Table Approximation
var durationMonths = 0;
if (months = 36 && months = 60 && months = 120 && months < 150) {
percentage = 0.45 + ((months – 120) * (0.05 / 30));
} else {
percentage = 0.50; // Maxes at 50% for duration guidelines
}
durationMonths = Math.round(months * percentage);
}
// Display results
document.getElementById("results").style.display = "block";
document.getElementById("monthlyAmount").innerText = "$" + finalAmount.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
var durationText = "";
if (months 0) {
durationText += " (Approx. " + years + " years, " + remMonths + " months)";
}
}
document.getElementById("suggestedDuration").innerText = durationText;
document.getElementById("combinedIncomeDisplay").innerText = "$" + combinedMonthly.toLocaleString();
// Scroll to results
document.getElementById("results").scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}