Colorado uses the term “Maintenance” for spousal support paid by one party to another in a divorce/legal separation. Many states use the term “Alimony”. On January 1, 2014, Colorado law enacted maintenance guidelines. The guidelines provide for a presumptive amount of maintenance and presumptive duration based upon the income of both parties and length of the marriage. For any permanent maintenance or maintenance that extends beyond the entry of a decree of dissolution of marriage/legal separation, a party still must demonstrate that he/she lacks sufficient property to provide for his/her reasonable needs and is unable to support himself/herself through appropriate employment. Certain exceptions apply for a parent caring for a very young child. Despite the maintenance guidelines, the amount and duration of any maintenance award remain case specific and dependent on the facts of that situation.