At Jones Law Firm, PC, we answer the questions Centennial clients ask most about maintenance: how much, and for how long. Since 2000, our attorneys have handled more than 4,000 family law matters across Arapahoe County. April D. Jones leads the firm as Vice President of the Colorado Bar Association and a Super Lawyers honoree.
Spousal maintenance is court-ordered support one spouse pays the other during or after a divorce. Under Colorado Revised Statutes § 14-10-114, the advisory guideline for monthly maintenance is 40% of the parties’ combined monthly adjusted gross income, minus the lower-earning spouse’s monthly adjusted gross income.
Bonuses, RSUs, and business income can move the number, and so can temporary orders, the interim support a judge sets while the case is pending in the 18th Judicial District Court (Arapahoe County). Maintenance also interacts with child support and the rest of your divorce process.
Why Choose Jones Law Firm
25+ Years In Colorado Family Law Only
We have handled nothing but Colorado family law since 2000, for more than 4,000 families across Arapahoe County. That depth shows where the guideline amount and duration likely land, and where a judge may deviate.
Round Table Brain Trust On Every Case
Multiple attorneys review your strategy, including how bonuses, RSUs and business income are counted.
Regular Appearances Where Your Case Is Heard
Six Front Range offices, including our Greenwood Village headquarters near Centennial, keep our attorneys in Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Adams, and Denver courts.
Communication Guarantee And Secure Client Portal
Our Communication Guarantee means you get proactive updates and online access to your case documents, in English and Spanish.
Leadership Recognized By Peers
April D. Jones is Colorado Bar Association Vice President, the 2027 President and a 2026 Super Lawyers honoree. The firm holds Avvo 10.0 and Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent ratings.
What Clients Clients Say About Jones Law Firm
“He took the time to research complicated issues and paid attention to the details that moved my case forward.” Kate P.
“Jimena is a brilliant strategist who works with a high level of integrity.” Grace P.
“Hayley Hollands and Mokshangi Shah are a fantastic lawyer/paralegal team.” Eric H.
“She handled my divorce proceedings with incredible efficiency and honesty.” Olivia T.
“I was able to move forward with confidence.” Deena K.
How Is Spousal Maintenance Calculated In Centennial, Colorado?
Colorado uses an advisory guideline formula under C.R.S. § 14-10-114: 40% of the spouses’ combined monthly adjusted gross income minus the lower earner’s income. It applies when combined annual income is at or under $240,000. Above that, a judge in the 18th Judicial District Court (Arapahoe County) sets the amount case by case.
The court first decides whether maintenance is appropriate. Duration follows an advisory schedule tied to the length of the marriage, and for marriages over 20 years the judge decides the term.
A judge can deviate from the guideline after weighing each spouse’s income, the property each receives, the marital lifestyle, career sacrifices, health, and age. Colorado is a no-fault state, so misconduct does not count.
A spouse who works below their ability can have income imputed, meaning the court counts what that spouse could reasonably earn. Maintenance paid under a decree entered after 2018 is not federally tax-deductible.
Under C.R.S. § 14-10-106, a court cannot enter a final decree until 91 days after the petition is filed and served, so temporary maintenance is the only support available while a Centennial divorce is pending.
Our Spousal Maintenance (Alimony) Services In Centennial
We handle spousal maintenance matters for Centennial clients, including modification and enforcement.
- Maintenance guideline calculations
- Temporary maintenance orders
- Maintenance duration disputes
- Imputed income challenges
- Sworn financial statements
- Maintenance settlement agreements
- Maintenance modification petitions
- Maintenance termination disputes
- Unpaid maintenance enforcement
Speak With a Trusted Family Law Attorney
For clear guidance through divorce, custody, and family law matters in Colorado, contact Jones Law Firm. Call 303-799-8155 to schedule your confidential consultation.
Can I Receive Temporary Spousal Maintenance While My Divorce Is Pending In Arapahoe County?
Yes. The 18th Judicial District Court (Arapahoe County) can order temporary maintenance so neither spouse is left without income before the decree is entered. Either spouse can request it early, and the court decides at a temporary orders hearing or approves terms the spouses agree on.
Each spouse files a sworn financial statement, a signed summary of income, expenses, assets, and debts. Both also exchange supporting documents under Colorado Rule 16.2, generally within 42 days of service.
Temporary orders do not set the final amount or duration. Permanent maintenance is set in the decree or separation agreement, which cannot be entered until at least 91 days after filing and service. Disputes over imputed income or business valuation push that date out.
Can Spousal Maintenance Be Modified After The Divorce Is Final?
Often, yes, unless your decree states that maintenance is non-modifiable. Under C.R.S. § 14-10-122, the spouse asking for a change must show a substantial and continuing change in circumstances that makes the current terms unfair. Examples include a lasting drop in income, a serious health issue, or a good-faith retirement.
A modification starts with a motion filed in the court that issued the order, usually the 18th Judicial District Court (Arapahoe County) for Centennial cases. We draft and file all required pleadings, affidavits, and proposed orders. Keep paying the full amount until a judge rules, because any change generally reaches back only to the date the motion was filed.
Maintenance ends automatically on the death of either spouse, the recipient’s remarriage, or the end of the stated term, unless the agreement says otherwise. The recipient’s cohabitation with a new partner can also support a motion to modify or terminate.
Get To Know Jones Law Firm In Centennial
Since 2000, our attorneys have handled more than 4,000 family law matters across Arapahoe County. Our 40+ -person team assigns a named attorney and paralegal to every case, and our Communication Guarantee means you are never left wondering about your case status. Offices in Greenwood Village, Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Parker, and Westminster keep us close to the courts where your case is heard.
Our Spousal Maintenance Process For Centennial Families
1. Intake and Scheduling
Intake confirms whether you have been served, where the case is filed, and any deadlines. We then book your consultation early, late, or virtually.
2. Consultation With a Client Relationship Specialist
A private 45-minute conversation covers your maintenance questions and numbers.
3. Financial Document Gathering
Your attorney-plus-paralegal team collects pay stubs, tax returns, bonus and equity schedules, and expenses to build your sworn financial statement, the signed disclosure of income, assets, and debts Colorado courts require.
4. Round Table Brain Trust Strategy Session
Multiple attorneys test your numbers against Colorado’s maintenance guidelines and the grounds that let a judge deviate. You see the realistic range for amount and duration before choosing a path.
5. Negotiation, Mediation or Filing
We negotiate or mediate when settlement is workable and draft and file all required pleadings, affidavits, and proposed orders for temporary orders in the 18th Judicial District Court (Arapahoe County) when it is not.
6. Hearing or Final Orders
The case closes with a signed agreement or a permanent orders hearing. Each order is drafted with future modification and termination in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions About Spousal Maintenance
How Does Colorado Calculate Spousal Maintenance When One Spouse Earns Significantly More Than The Other?
Colorado’s guideline takes 40% of the couple’s combined gross income and subtracts 100% of the lower earner’s income, capped so the recipient’s total income does not exceed 40% of the combined figure.
How Long Will I Have To Pay Maintenance After A 12- Or 15-Year Marriage In Colorado?
The guideline duration is roughly 31% of the marriage’s length at three years, rising on a sliding scale to 50% at 20 years. A 12-year marriage points to about 4 to 5 years of payments, and a 15-year marriage to about 6 years.
Does Colorado Still Award Permanent Alimony After A Long Marriage?
Colorado no longer uses the term “permanent,” but marriages longer than 20 years can lead to maintenance for an indefinite term. The court may instead set a term of at least half the marriage’s length.
Will Maintenance End Automatically If My Ex-Spouse Remarries Or Moves In With A New Partner?
Remarriage of the recipient ends maintenance automatically unless the parties agreed otherwise in writing.
Can Maintenance Be Changed Later If I Lose My Job, Take A Pay Cut Or Retire?
Yes, if the change is substantial and continuing and makes the current order unfair, unless your agreement made the terms non-modifiable. File a motion to modify promptly, because changes generally apply only from the filing date forward.
Is Maintenance Taxable Or Deductible For Divorces Finalized In Colorado Today?
For divorces finalized after December 31, 2018, maintenance is not deductible for the payor and not taxable income for the recipient under federal law. Colorado’s guideline formula already accounts for this change.
Does Adultery Or Other Misconduct Affect How Much Maintenance A Judge Orders In Colorado?
No. Colorado is a no-fault state, and the court does not consider marital misconduct when setting maintenance.
Can A Husband Receive Maintenance, And Does A Spouse Who Stayed Home With The Kids Qualify?
Maintenance in Colorado is gender-neutral, so either spouse can pay or receive it. A spouse who left the workforce to raise children often qualifies, and the court weighs those homemaking contributions.
What Happens If My Ex Stops Paying Court-Ordered Maintenance In Arapahoe County?
Each missed payment becomes a judgment that accrues interest, and the recipient can pursue wage garnishment, liens, or contempt in the 18th Judicial District Court (Arapahoe County).
Local Resources In Centennial For Spousal Support
- Arapahoe County District Court
The trial court handling divorce and family law filings for residents of Arapahoe County.
- Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder
Maintains official county records including marriage licenses and property documents.
- Arapahoe County Human Services
Provides financial assistance, benefits navigation, and support services for individuals in transition.
- Arapahoe County Assessor
Determines assessed values of real property, useful when dividing marital assets in a proceeding.
- Arapahoe County Treasurer
Manages property tax records and payments, relevant when evaluating real estate holdings during dissolution.
- Arapahoe/Douglas Works!
A workforce development center offering job training and employment assistance to adults re-entering the workforce.
- Arapahoe County Recorder’s Office
Records deeds, liens, and other instruments affecting real property ownership in the county.
- Family Crisis Center (Arapahoe County)
A local organization offering shelter, advocacy, and support services for individuals affected by domestic violence.
Schedule Your Centennial Spousal Maintenance Case Review
Maintenance orders can shape your finances for years. The numbers you start with often set the course, from temporary orders through the final decree. Since 2000, Jones Law Firm, PC has helped more than 4,000 Arapahoe County families work through how much maintenance a court will likely order and for how long. Whether you expect to pay or receive maintenance, a named attorney and paralegal will look at your income, bonuses, and equity and give you a realistic range before you choose a path.
Contact Jones Law Firm, PC to schedule your confidential 45-minute consultation. Early, late, and virtual appointments are available in English and Spanish, and our Greenwood Village office is just minutes from Centennial.
