Until what age can an adopted child claim child supports from his parent in Colorado?

Full question:

My dad’s been drinking a lot after my mom’s death. He is now refusing to provide for my education or other expenses. I am an adopted child. Until what age can an adopted child claim child support from his parent in Colorado?

• Category: Minors
• Subcategory: Child Support
• Date: 04/07/2025
• State: Colorado

Answer:

An adoptive child has the same right as a natural or biological child. You can ask child support from your dad until you turn 18 years old. You dad is required to provide you reasonable support and maintenance which includes education, proper care, food and clothing. In Colorado, the punishment for not providing child support is imprisonment of 1-3 years, $1,000 fine.
 
C.R.S. 14-6-101

“Nonsupport of spouse and children – penalty
(1) Any person who willfully neglects, fails, or refuses to provide reasonable support and maintenance for his spouse or for his children under eighteen years of age, whether natural, adopted, or whose parentage has been judicially determined, or who willfully fails, refuses, or neglects to provide proper care, food, and clothing in case of sickness for his spouse or such children or any such children being legally the inmates of a state or county home or school for children in this state, or who willfully fails or refuses to pay to a trustee, who may be appointed by the court to receive such payment, or to the board of control of such home or school the reasonable cost of keeping such children in said home, or any person, being the father or mother of children under eighteen years of age, who leaves such children with intent to abandon such children, or any man who willfully neglects, fails, or refuses to provide proper care, food, and clothing to the mother of his child during childbirth and attendant illness is guilty of a class 5 felony. It shall be an affirmative defense, as defined in section 18-1-407, C.R.S., to a prosecution under this section that owing to physical incapacity or other good cause the defendant is unable to furnish the support, care, and maintenance required by this section. No child shall be deemed to lack proper care for the sole reason that he is being provided remedial treatment in accordance with section 19-3-103, C.R.S.”

C.R.S. 18-1.3-401 says:

“(II) As to any person sentenced for a felony committed on or after July 1, 1984, and before July 1, 1985, felonies are divided into five classes which are distinguished from one another by the following presumptive ranges of penalties which are authorized upon conviction:ClassPresumptive Range1Life imprisonment or death2Eight to twelve years3Four to eight years4Two to four years5One to two years (III) (A) As to any person sentenced for a felony committed on or after July 1, 1985, except as otherwise provided in sub-subparagraph (E) of this subparagraph (III), in addition to, or in lieu of, any sentence to imprisonment, probation, community corrections, or work release, a fine within the following presumptive ranges may be imposed for the specified classes of felonies:ClassMinimum Sentence1No fine2Five thousand dollars3Three thousand dollars4Two thousand dollars5One thousand dollars6One thousand dollarsClassMaximum Sentence1No fine2One million dollars3Seven hundred fifty thousand dollars4Five hundred thousand dollars5One hundred thousand dollars6One hundred thousand dollars.”