If you practice family law in Colorado, you know that 2026 looks different than 2025. The landscape has shifted. We have new players in the room with Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals (LLPs) taking on bigger roles, and we have a new set of rules for child support that fundamentally changes how we calculate parenting time credits.
For the Collaborative community, these changes are a massive opportunity. They lower the cost barrier for entry and remove one of the stickiest conflict points in negotiation. Here is how the new reality plays out for your practice and your clients.
The LLP Factor: Lowering the Price of Admission
For years, the biggest objection to Collaborative Divorce was the cost. Clients assumed that hiring two full-scope attorneys, plus a financial neutral and a coach, was too expensive.
The expanded role of LLPs solves this. In 2026, an LLP can now handle the bulk of a Collaborative file. They can draft the separation agreement, manage the financial disclosures, and represent the client in mediation. This allows firms to offer a "tiered" Collaborative model where the hourly rates are significantly lower, making the process accessible to middle-income families who used to be priced out.
Role Comparison: Where LLPs Fit
It is critical to know exactly where the LLP license stops so you can build your team correctly.
Mediation
LLP Authority: Can represent clients and negotiate settlements.
Attorney Authority: Full authority.
Drafting
LLP Authority: Can draft Separation Agreements and Parenting Plans.
Attorney Authority: Full authority.
Hearings
LLP Authority: Can sit at counsel table and answer judge’s questions.
Attorney Authority: Full authority to argue and examine.
Witnesses
LLP Authority: Cannot examine or cross-examine witnesses.
Attorney Authority: Full authority.
Complex Law
LLP Authority: Cannot handle complex trusts or contested jurisdiction.
Attorney Authority: Full authority.
Because Collaborative cases do not involve witness examination or contested jurisdiction fights, LLPs function at near-full capacity in this model. They are not "assistants" here; they are primary professionals.
The End of the "92-Overnight" Cliff
The most significant change to the law this year is the overhaul of the child support statute under HB 25-1159. For decades, the difference between 92 overnights and 93 overnights was a war zone. Crossing that threshold meant flipping from Worksheet A to Worksheet B, which could swing child support by hundreds of dollars a month.
As of March 1, 2026, that cliff is gone.
The new law introduces a sliding scale for parenting time. There is no longer a magic number that triggers a sudden drop in payments. Instead, every single overnight counts toward a gradual credit.
Child Support: Before vs. After
Before (2025):
The Cliff: A parent needed 93 overnights to get any meaningful credit (Worksheet B).
The Fight: Parents fought viciously for "Night #93" to flip the calculation.
The Result: High conflict over schedule logistics rather than the child's needs.
After (2026):
The Slope: Credit starts accruing at the very first overnight.
The Peace: Fighting for three extra nights no longer drastically changes the money.
The Result: Parenting plans are built around schedules that work, not math that saves money.
This change naturally lowers the temperature in the room. In a Collaborative setting, we no longer have to manage the "Worksheet B" anxiety. We can just focus on the calendar.
Certainty for High Earners
The update also raised the combined income guideline cap from $30,000 to $40,000 per month. Previously, high-net-worth couples fell into a "discretionary" zone where the judge could do almost anything. That uncertainty drove litigation because both sides thought they could roll the dice and win.
With the cap raised to $40,000, more families fit within the standard formula. This provides a hard number for negotiation. When the outcome is predictable, settlement becomes the logical choice.
Ready to navigate the new rules? Join us at CCDP to get the latest training on HB 25-1159 and learn how to integrate LLPs into your Collaborative team.