How Long Does Alimony Last in Colorado?

Alimony or palimony—called spousal maintenance in Colorado—provides financial support from a higher-earning spouse to a lower-earning spouse during and/or after a divorce. The courts generally order these payments for a fixed duration, but, in specific cases, they can be awarded for an indefinite period. This article explains the legal standards that determine how long you may receive or pay monthly spousal maintenance. 

• Colorado alimony laws establish a framework for both temporary support during divorce proceedings and long-term payments designed to help a lower-earning spouse achieve financial independence.

• Courts require five-year protection order disclosures from both parties in divorce cases and exercise discretion when adjusting awards to reflect abusive behavioral patterns. 

• Maintenance duration is dictated by the length of the marriage and generally scales upward, but is typically capped at 50 percent of the total years married.

• Alimony can be modified upon proof of a substantial and continuing change in circumstances unless the parties agreed to a settlement that bars future adjustments.

Spousal maintenance or alimony is a periodic payment from a higher-earning spouse to a lower-earning spouse. Its purpose is to limit the unfair economic impact of divorce, serving as a buffer while the lower-earning spouse develops job skills or finds employment. 

Generally, Colorado alimony rules identify two types of alimony that payers and recipients should know: 

• Temporary maintenance - Also called separation alimony, this is paid while the divorce is pending if one spouse can’t support themselves. It ends when the divorce is finalized. 

• Long-term maintenance - Awarded after the divorce is final. This can be for a set number of years or, in rare cases, for an indefinite period. 

• Contractual maintenance - A binding civil agreement between the divorcing parties that outlines the amount and duration of the support. A family court cannot modify the contract. 

The length of the marriage is an important factor in determining how long spousal support lasts, but it’s not the only factor. The amount and duration of Colorado alimony awards also account for: 

• Financial resources - Income and property of both spouses

• Gainful employment - The lower-earning spouse’s work history and job prospects

• Established lifestyle - The standard of living maintained during the marriage

• Spousal wellness  - Age or health issues affecting employment

• Abuse history - Evidence of domestic violence, economic abuse, or coercive control

• Tax implications - The federal tax deductibility of payments

The passage of SB 25-116 enabled courts to weigh prior acts of domestic violence during alimony determinations. 

Disclosure Window for Protection Orders

Current disclosure mandates require both parties to report any of the following actions or legal entries filed against them during the five years leading up to the divorce filing:

• Temporary or permanent restraining orders

• Civil protection orders

• Emergency protection orders 

Abuse Factors for Alimony Consideration

Colorado law gives courts discretion when considering how specific financial and lifestyle factors may impact survivors of abuse within the state’s no-fault divorce system. Violations a court can consider when determining alimony in Colorado include:

• Domestic violence

• Coercive control

• Economic abuse 

• Litigation abuse

• Emotional abuse

• Unlawful sexual behavior

The duration of alimony depends largely on how long you were married. Colorado alimony laws include guidelines to help courts calculate payment durations by multiplying the years married and the statute’s set percentage:

Years Married	Percentage	Approximate Duration of Payments
Three years	31 percent	11 months
Five years	35 percent	One year, nine months
10 years	45 percent	Four years, six months
12.5 - 20 years	50 percent	Half the length of the marriage
20+ years	50 percent	Half the length of the marriage or 10 years

As a general rule, the payer won’t be required to provide maintenance for more than half the time they were married. However, in cases where marriages last more than 20 years, courts rarely award less than the 10-year guideline.

Although Colorado’s guidelines establish a specific alimony timeline, unexpected financial or personal shifts can quickly render a once-fair order inequitable. Under C.R.S. 14-10-122, courts may modify or terminate alimony if a party can prove a “substantial and continuing change in circumstances” that renders the original terms unfair. 

A successful modification requires the affected party to demonstrate a significant, long-term shift rather than a minor or temporary financial setback. Circumstances may include: 

• Significant income changes - A permanent job loss, a forced career change, or a substantial raise for the recipient. 

• Retirement - If the paying spouse reaches a “good faith” retirement age, the court may consider reducing or ending the duration of payments.

• Health and wellness - A new, chronic medical condition that prevents the recipient from becoming self-sufficient as originally planned, or that prevents the payer from working.

• Remarriage or civil union - Unless the original decree states otherwise, the obligation to pay maintenance typically ends if the recipient remarries or begins a new union.

Alimony is difficult to adjust if your divorce decree includes “contractual” or “non-modifiable” terms, as these provisions waive both parties’ rights to make future changes. In limited circumstances, former spouses can request a modification of contractual alimony in civil court.

While Colorado provides a mathematical baseline for financial parity, alimony is rarely a simple calculation. Ultimately, how long alimony lasts is often determined by the quality of the Colorado alimony lawyer representing your interests. The Family Law Team with Robinson & Henry offers:

• Financial assessments - Helping high-asset and unconventional families move beyond standard formulas, advocating for alimony awards that reflect complex earning potential and established lifestyles.

• Disclosure compliance - Leveraging the latest legal updates to secure safety-focused financial support for individuals whose circumstances may not be accounted for in standard calculations. 

• Adaptive advocacy - Securing equitable deviations and protecting your right to request changes that are flexible and adaptive to life’s most unexpected moments. 

Start your next chapter financially secure. Call 303-688-0944 or book a consultation online with a Colorado family law attorney today.

How Long Do You Have to Pay Spousal Support?

How long someone owes alimony depends on the length of their marriage, usually a percentage of the total number of months married. While rare, courts can order “lifelong” or indefinite alimony. Indefinite alimony is typically reserved for marriages that lasted longer than 20 years, or in cases where a spouse can’t work due to advanced age or health issues. 

What If I Stopped Working to Raise Children?

Courts specifically consider this when awarding alimony. Maintenance serves as an economic buffer to help you develop necessary job skills if you forewent a career to raise children.

Does Abuse Affect My Alimony Award?

Documented instances of abuse can affect your alimony award under SB 25-116. Specifically, courts must now consider evidence of physical, emotional, or economic abuse when making maintenance determinations. 

Will I Still Get Alimony If I Remarry?

Unless your divorce decree explicitly states otherwise, Colorado alimony law generally provides that payments typically end automatically upon the recipient's remarriage or entering into a new civil union.

Does Returning to College Extend Alimony in Colorado?

Yes, continuing education can extend alimony in Colorado. C.R.S. 14-10-114 gives judges broad discretion to deviate from standard alimony formulas when a spouse needs more education or vocational training to become self-sufficient.

Can Child Care Responsibilities Affect Alimony Duration in Colorado?

Yes, caring for young children can significantly affect the duration of alimony payments for the lower-earning spouse. This is particularly true for children under age two or with special needs. These factors can certainly lead to extended alimony awards.