Colorado handles divorce through a no-fault system where courts decide child custody based on the child’s best interests, award alimony via maintenance guidelines considering financial disparity, and equitably divide marital property. No major 2026 changes alter these core principles, though trends emphasize mediation and parenting plans.​
Child Custody
Courts prioritize the child’s best interests, focusing on parental fitness, child adjustment, sibling bonds, and each parent’s ability to meet the child’s needs without favoring either parent. Parenting plans must detail schedules, decision-making (legal custody), and support; joint custody is common unless evidence shows harm. Factors include domestic violence history, substance abuse, and willingness to co-parent; courts encourage mediation before trials.​
Alimony (Maintenance)
Colorado uses statutory guidelines for temporary maintenance during divorce, calculating based on marriage length and income disparity: 40% of higher earner’s gross minus 50% of lower earner’s for short marriages (under 5 years), scaling down for longer ones. Permanent awards are rarer, limited to cases of significant need or sacrifice (e.g., career pauses for family); courts weigh earning capacity, standard of living, and duration up to half the marriage length.​
Property Division
Assets and debts acquired during marriage are divided equitably—not equally—considering contributions, economic circumstances, dissipation, and future needs; premaritals remain separate. Retirement accounts split via QDROs; courts value businesses or real estate professionally. Debts follow similar equitable logic, protecting innocent spouses from gambling losses.
SOURCES
[1](https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help/divorce/divorce-or-legal-separation)
[2](https://www.coloradolegalgroup.com/blog/military-divorce-in-colorado-what-you-need-to-know/)
[3](https://www.nocodivorcelaw.com/can-a-divorce-be-denied/)
[4](https://lasslaw.com/looking-ahead-key-divorce-law-trends-to-watch-in-2026/)
[5](https://www.griffithslawpc.com/blog-articles/top-10-things-file-divorce/)
