Alimony & Domestic Violence: The New Colorado Rules | Episode 236

What's in this episode

Spousal Maintenance and Domestic Violence: A New Factor in Colorado Divorce In this episode of Divorce at Altitude, Ryan Kalamaya and Amy Goscha explore how spousal maintenance (alimony) is evolving in Colorado specifically with the introduction of new considerations around coercive control, domestic violence, and financial abuse. They explain how these factors may now influence whether maintenance is awarded, how much, and for how long. Episode Highlights What is spousal maintenance and when does it apply Spousal maintenance comes into play when one spouse cannot meet their reasonable financial needs after divorce through property division and their own income. Amy explains that Colorado uses an advisory guideline based on income and length of marriage, but courts still retain discretion. How maintenance law has evolved in Colorado Ryan walks through how the maintenance statute has changed over time—from discretionary factors to guideline formulas, tax law changes, and now the addition of new behavioral considerations like coercive control and abuse. The new factor: coercive control and domestic violence Courts are now required to consider whether there was domestic violence, emot