The parts of a divorce that deserve a second look

Minor children, or a pregnancy

• You will file a JDF 1113 Parenting Plan signed by both parents and a child support worksheet.
• A decree without a hearing is available with minor children only if both spouses have a lawyer or a licensed legal paraprofessional and a written agreement covers parenting and child support. The same rule applies if either spouse is expecting a child.
• A court may order parents of a child under 18 to attend a parenting education class.
• Children must have lived in Colorado for at least 182 days, or since birth if under six months old.

Before you agree on numbers, try the firm's Colorado child support calculator, and for parenting schedules see LawLongmont's schedule planner.

Sources: C.R.S. 14-10-120.3(1)(a) and 14-10-123.7(2) in the Colorado Revised Statutes 2026, Title 14; JDF 1018, Affidavit for Decree Without Appearance; JDF 1010, How to File for Divorce.

A house or other real estate

Your Property and Financial Agreement (JDF 1115) has to say who keeps the property and how the mortgage, title and any refinance or sale will be handled. Real estate documents, such as appraisals and title records, are among the disclosures listed on JDF 1104. Vague terms here are a common source of disputes after the decree.

Sources: JDF 1010, How to File for Divorce; JDF 1104.

Retirement accounts and pensions

Retirement plans are on the mandatory disclosure list. Dividing them usually takes an order worded the way the plan requires. For a Colorado PERA plan, the Judicial Branch lists JDF 1202 Domestic Relations Order for a PERA Retirement Plan with PERA's agreement form.

Sources: Colorado Judicial Branch, Divorce and Separation; JDF 1104.

Shared debt

The agreement on JDF 1018 must divide all marital property and debts. Personal debt records, such as loan and credit card statements, are part of the mandatory disclosures. Decide who pays each debt and how joint accounts get paid off, refinanced or closed.

Sources: JDF 1018, Affidavit for Decree Without Appearance; JDF 1104.

Spousal support (maintenance)

Colorado has statutory maintenance guidelines in C.R.S. 14-10-114. To get a decree without a hearing, both spouses certify on JDF 1018 that they have reviewed those guidelines, and their written property and financial agreement addresses maintenance.

Sources: JDF 1018, Affidavit for Decree Without Appearance; C.R.S. 14-10-114 in the Colorado Revised Statutes 2026, Title 14.

A business or self-employment income

Business and personal financial statements for the last three years are on the mandatory disclosure list. Valuing a business, separating business from personal money, and working out income for support are exactly where a quick agreement can miss real value.

Source: JDF 1104.

You don't agree, or your spouse won't sign

• A decree on affidavits requires that there be no genuine dispute about any material fact.
• If you cannot agree, the court may order mediation, and if agreements are not reached there will be a court hearing.
• If your spouse will not sign or cannot be found, the petition must be formally served; service by publication or certified mail requires the court's permission.

Sources: C.R.S. 14-10-120.3(1)(c) in the Colorado Revised Statutes 2026, Title 14; JDF 1010, How to File for Divorce; JDF 1018, Affidavit for Decree Without Appearance.

Safety concerns or pressure to agree

If you are in danger, call 911. The Quick exit button at the top of every page leaves this site immediately, and pressing Esc twice does the same. If you feel pressured to sign an agreement, or there is a protection order, talk with a lawyer before you sign anything. Colorado law lets the divorce court keep jurisdiction to enter protection orders even after the decree.

Source: C.R.S. 14-10-120(6) in the Colorado Revised Statutes 2026, Title 14.