How Long Does Maintenance Last in Colorado?
Colorado’s advisory maintenance term starts at 31% of the length of the marriage at three years and rises by one-sixth of a percentage point a month to 50% at 12.5 years. For marriages over 20 years the court may order a specified or indefinite term, but not less than the 20-year guideline term without findings.
The advisory term
For marriages of at least three years but not more than twenty, the statute sets the advisory term in a table in whole months. The table starts at 31% of the marriage at 36 months and adds one-sixth of a percentage point for each additional month until it reaches 50% at 150 months; the term is the percentage of the marriage rounded to whole months (C.R.S. 14-10-114(3)(b)(II)). The table is advisory only.
Examples
| Length of marriage | Percentage | Advisory term |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years (36 months) | 31.00% | 11 months |
| 5 years (60 months) | 35.00% | 21 months |
| 10 years (120 months) | 45.00% | 54 months |
| 12.5 years (150 months) | 50.00% | 75 months |
| 15 years (180 months) | 50.00% | 90 months |
| 20 years (240 months) | 50.00% | 120 months |
The statute’s table is a published chart in whole months; the figures above follow its percentages. Use the Colorado maintenance calculator with your dates.
Marriages over 20 years
When the marriage lasted more than twenty years, the court may award maintenance for a specified term of years or for an indefinite term, but it must not specify a term shorter than the guideline term for a twenty-year marriage, 120 months, without specific findings that support a reduced term.
Short marriages
The guidelines apply to marriages of at least three years. For a shorter marriage the court can still award maintenance when the distribution of marital property is insufficient to achieve an equitable result, considering the guidelines and the statutory factors.
The term is advisory
The guideline term does not create a presumptive term. The court determines the term that is fair and equitable after considering the factors, including the lifestyle during the marriage, each party’s resources and employability, the age and health of the parties, the amount and duration of temporary maintenance and contributions to the marriage.
Questions for the negotiation
If you are negotiating maintenance, decide the amount, the term, whether it should be modifiable, whether the court should reserve jurisdiction and what events should end it. A clearly written agreement can change the statute’s default ending events, so it should say exactly what the parties intend.
When it ends
Unless otherwise agreed in writing or provided in the decree, the obligation to pay future maintenance ends on the earliest of the death of either party, the end of the term (unless a motion to modify is filed before the term expires), the remarriage or civil union of the recipient, or a court order terminating it (C.R.S. 14-10-122(2)). See modifying or ending maintenance in Colorado.
Frequently asked questions
How is the term of maintenance calculated in Colorado?
For marriages from three to twenty years, a table sets the advisory term in whole months, starting at 31% of the marriage at 36 months and rising to 50% at 150 months.
How long is maintenance for a 10-year marriage in Colorado?
The advisory guideline is 54 months (4.5 years), which is 45% of 120 months.
Is there lifetime maintenance in Colorado?
For marriages over 20 years the court may order an indefinite term, but it must not set a term shorter than the 20-year guideline term (120 months) without specific findings.
Does a motion to modify keep maintenance going after the term ends in Colorado?
Maintenance ends at the end of the term unless a motion for modification is filed before the term expires.
Is the Colorado maintenance term binding?
No. The guideline term is advisory and creates no presumptive term.
Official sources
- C.R.S. 14-10-114: spousal maintenance; advisory guidelines
- C.R.S. 14-10-122: modification and termination
A local family law attorney can review your situation — many offer a free consultation.
This is general information, not legal advice. It is based on the cited Colorado statutes, rules and court opinions, and every case turns on its own facts. Confirm how the law applies to your situation with a licensed Colorado attorney.