The Basics
Colorado Works is part of the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which has different names (and different rules) in different states. To get Colorado Works benefits, you must be a Colorado resident and your family must have low income.
Colorado Works helps low-income families by giving them money to pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent. At the same time, it helps these families find ways to become more financially stable by offering things like education and training, workshops on resume writing or interviewing, job referrals, help applying for other benefit programs, or other steps to create more income. Colorado Works also helps with things like child care or finding housing.
If you get Colorado Works cash benefits and are considered "work eligible," you must work with a case manager (sometimes called a coach or a workforce specialist) to create an Individualized Plan. Your plan lists everything you agree to do while getting Colorado Works benefits, and everything the local Colorado Works program agrees to do to help you. If you have a disability, you and your case manager will make a plan for you, but it might include things like applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if you don't already get those benefits, or getting needed medical care. Learn more about Work, Benefits, and You.
Note: Each of Colorado’s 64 counties runs its own Colorado Works program. The way they calculate if you can get benefits and how much you get each month is the same statewide, but what the various steps are called and what kind of supportive services you get can vary from county to county. To find out exactly how Colorado Works operates in your county, contact your county human services department.
This article explains who can get Colorado Works, how to apply, and has details about its benefits. We'll begin by describing how to Apply for Benefits.
If you get Colorado Works benefits, you might also qualify for Health First Colorado (Medicaid) and SNAP (formerly Food Stamps). When you apply for Colorado Works, ask for these benefits on your application or ask about them when you talk to your eligibility worker.
Depending on your age or health, you might also be eligible for SSI or the Colorado Old Age Pension (OAP) program. However, you can only be in one of these three programs at a time (Colorado Works, SSI, or OAP). Ask your eligibility worker or case manager about which of these programs you might qualify for, and the pros and cons of each.
If you have questions about your benefits and need to talk to someone, you can:
- Contact your county human services department
- Consult DB101's List of Experts
Learn more
Apply for Benefits
How to Apply
You can apply for Colorado Works:
- Online using Colorado Peak
- On your smartphone using the MyCOBenefits app, available from Google Play or Apple's App Store
- By downloading and printing an application, completing it, and then mailing, emailing, or faxing it in, or
- At your local county human services department.
No matter which way you apply, you can choose to use this same application to also apply for Colorado Works, SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), Health First Colorado (Medicaid), cash assistance, Colorado's Old Age Pension, and other benefits programs.
Each of the 64 counties in Colorado runs its own Colorado Works program. The way they decide if you can get benefits, and how much you get, is the same statewide. Exactly what you have to do after you submit your application and what the various steps are called can vary from county to county.
What You Need to Apply
When you apply for Colorado Works, you should have:
- Your identification and proof of citizenship (or of your legal immigration status), such as your driver's license, ID card, resident card, or U.S. Passport
- Social Security numbers for you and everyone in your household who has a Social Security number
- Documents showing any income you have, like your pay stubs or a letter from your employer
- Documents showing any unearned income, such as unemployment benefits, child support payments, etc.
- Proof of your relationship to any children in your household who are not your biological children, like a birth certificate or other documents
You may need to provide copies of other documents, depending on your situation. The Colorado PEAK website has some Examples of Required Documents.
After You Apply
From the time you submit your application and all required documents, Colorado Works has up to 45 days to tell you if you can get these benefits or not. You get either a phone call or a letter to set up an eligibility appointment. This appointment can be in person or over the phone (this varies by county). To see if you can get Colorado Works benefits, the eligibility worker will usually ask you about your:
- Family and living situation
- Income
- Work history
- Skills
- Education
- Valid identification
The eligibility worker needs enough details to let Colorado Works decide if you and your family qualify for benefits. Learn more about who can get Colorado Works benefits.
Learn more
Who Can Get Colorado Works Benefits
Eligibility
To help families who can't pay for their basic needs like food, clothing, and rent, Colorado Works provides:
- Cash benefits, and
- Other benefits that help families become more financially stable.
A family is defined as one or two parents (or other caregivers) living with their child or children under 18. If your child is 18 years old, they still qualify as long as they are in school full-time and will be graduating before they are 19. A family can include biological kids, step kids, adopted kids, and children of relatives.
To get Colorado Works, you must:
- Be a Colorado resident
- Have a child under 18 at home (or be pregnant)
- Be a U.S. citizen, legal alien, or qualified alien
- Have very low or no income (see details below)
- Work with your case manager to create an Individualized Plan listing the steps needed to make you more financially stable, then sign and follow your plan, and
- Cooperate with Child Support Services to get child support payments for your children, if applicable (unless you have good cause not to because of domestic violence).
You can also get Colorado Works benefits if you are a member of an Indian Tribe, but only if you do not get benefits under a Tribal Family Assistance Plan.
You cannot get Colorado Works if you:
- Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Colorado Old Age Pension benefits
- Are an undocumented immigrant
- Have an adult in your household taking part in a strike
- Fail to report (without good cause) when your child or children are expected to be out of your home for more than 45 days
- Lied about where you live to get Colorado Works benefits at the same time as you get TANF benefits in another state
- Are a fleeing felon or a parole or probation violator
- Were convicted of a drug-related felony before July 1, 1997 (unless you are participating in a drug rehab program or other steps to rehabilitation)
Note: Even if you can't get Colorado Works for any of these reasons, other members of your family (including your children) may be able to get Colorado Works benefits, so it can still be a good idea to apply.
How Colorado Works Counts Your Family
Officially, Colorado Works calls a family an Assistance Unit (AU), and doesn't always include every family member when deciding if you can get cash benefits and how much. For example, if someone in your family gets SSI or Colorado OAP benefits, they aren't counted as part of your Assistance Unit.
In some cases, an Assistance Unit can be "child-only." For example, if you have a disability and get SSI benefits, your 8-year-old daughter might qualify for Colorado Works on a child-only basis.
Note: To keep things as simple as possible, from now on we always call an Assistance Unit a family.
After the county decides who counts as part of your family for Colorado Works, it looks at your income.
How Colorado Works Counts Your Family's Income
Income is money you get from work, benefits, or other sources. There’s a limit to how much income you can have and still qualify for Colorado Works. The limit is called a Need Standard and it is based on who is counted as part of your family. The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) lists the Need Standards for different family situations.
To see if you can get benefits, Colorado Works:
- Subtracts $90 from the total earned income that you get (or expect to get) during the month you apply.
- Adds any unearned income, like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), investment income, or other money you get that isn’t from work.
- The total is your countable income for eligibility. If your countable income is less than the Need Standard for your family size, you are eligible for Colorado Works.
For example, a family with one parent and one child under 18 can get Colorado Works if their countable income is less than $331, while a family with one parent and two children under 18 qualifies if their countable income is less than $421 a month.
Marie and Frank have a daughter, age eight. Frank has a disability, and gets SSI benefits of $967 a month, so he is not eligible for Colorado Works and his income doesn't count. Marie and her daughter are considered a family (Assistance Unit) of two. Marie works part-time and earns $381 a month. They have no other income, so the family's total income is $381. After subtracting $90, their total countable income is $291. The Need Standard for a family with one parent and one child is $331, so they qualify for Colorado Works.
After Colorado Works decides you are eligible for benefits, they look at your income again and use a different method to decide how much money you can get each month. Learn more about how Colorado Works calculates your benefit amount.
Learn more
Understanding Your Benefits
Colorado Works Cash Benefits
If you qualify for Colorado Works, you’ll get a monthly cash benefit for up to 60 months (five years), as long as you continue to qualify and meet the requirements of your Individualized Plan, which is explained on the next page.
If your need is temporary, some counties might offer you a one-time "diversion payment" instead of monthly cash benefits. A diversion payment helps you pay for something specific to help you be able to support yourself and your family, and does not count against the 60-month limit.
Sometimes refered to as "the time clock," the 60-month limit for Colorado Works is a lifetime limit. This means that if you get benefits for 12 months, go off Colorado Works for awhile, and then get back on later, you only have 48 months of cash benefits remaining. The time clock runs any month you get a cash benefit from Colorado Works. There are some exemptions to the 60-month limit, for cases of hardship or domestic violence. Diversion payments or services to help you work (like paying for training or child care) do not count against your time clock.
Your Benefit Amount
If you qualify for Colorado Works, the amount you get each month depends on the size of your household, who counts as a member of your family (officially called an Assistance Unit), and whether you have any earned or unearned income. The more income you have, the lower your Colorado Works benefit will be. However, not all of your income is counted. To calculate your monthly benefit, Colorado Works:
- Looks at your earned income and multiplies by 0.33 (or 33% of the total). This means they don't count 67% of what you earn. For example, if you have a job and make $1,000 a month, Colorado Works says you only have $330 in countable income.
- Adds in any unearned income you get (like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), unemployment benefits, investment income, or other money you get that isn’t from work) to get your total countable income (one-third of your earned income plus all unearned income).
- Figures out the highest Colorado Works benefit your family can get based on your family’s size and living situation. For example, the maximum benefit for a family with one parent and two children is $592 per month. The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) lists the maximum benefit (grant amount) for different family situations.
- Takes the maximum benefit possible for a family like yours (from step 3) and subtracts your family’s countable income (from step 2), which gives the amount your family gets each month.
Kaylee is a single mother of two. She gets $200 per month in unearned income. All of her income is countable, because she doesn't work. That means her family gets:
$592 maximum benefit – $200 countable income = $392 per month in Colorado Works benefits
Kaylee's total monthly income is:
$200 (her unearned income) + $392 (Colorado Works benefits) = $592
Jocelyn is also a single mother of two. She has a part-time job where she makes $500 per month. Unlike Kaylee, Jocelyn has no unearned income. Because she works, not all of her income is counted by the Colorado Works program. Her countable income is:
$500 (her earned income) × 0.33 = $165
With $165 in countable income, her family gets:
$592 maximum benefit – $165 in countable income = $427 per month in Colorado Works benefits
This means that Jocelyn's total income is:
$500 (from her job) + $427 (Colorado Works benefits) = $927
Thanks to working, Jocelyn has more total income than Kaylee does, and also gets more in Colorado Works benefits.
If you earn money at work, the Colorado Works program is designed so that your benefit never goes down by as much money as you make. That means that you’ll always be better off if you have a job.
Learn more about Colorado Works and work.
Diversion Payments
If your need for help is temporary, in some counties your eligibility worker may offer you a one-time diversion payment instead of monthly cash benefits, especially if the amount you would get each month is fairly small. (Not all counties offer diversion payments.) If you accept a diversion payment, you can't re-apply for Colorado Works monthly cash benefits for a certain period of time (usually a specific number of months).
A diversion payment pays for things that help you support yourself and your family, like car repairs or car insurance (so you can get to your job), buying work clothes or uniforms, paying for a training program, or counseling.
You do not have to accept a diversion payment if you would rather get a monthly cash benefit, but a diversion payment does not count against the 60-month Colorado Works limit, and it can be a good option if you only qualify for a small monthly payment. If you think a one-time payment might be better for you than monthly benefits, ask your eligibility worker or case manager if your county offers diversion payments.
Supportive Services
In addition to a monthly cash benefit, your county might offer "supportive services" or "special needs payments" to help you find and keep a job that will support you and your family. This might include:
- Referrals for housing, drug or alcohol treatment, or mental health counseling
- Bus passes
- School supplies
- Work clothes
- Diapers
- Help paying for car repairs, car insurance, or buying a car
- Extra cash on top of your basic monthly cash benefit
Not every county offers these types of services, and what is offered varies. Mention your specific needs to your eligibility worker when you apply, and to your case manager after you start getting Colorado Works benefits, and ask what type of support might be available.
Be sure to tell your eligibility worker and your case manager if you need child care for a child (or children) 13 or younger. Some counties have a waiting list for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program, but you can get into the program more quickly if you get a referral through Colorado Works.
Getting Your Colorado Works Benefits
After your eligibility appointment, you are mailed a notice telling you if you will get benefits and how much you’ll get. Most people get their Colorado Works monthly payments through an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, but you can ask to get your payments on a KeyBank debit card or by direct deposit to your bank account.
When you get monthly Colorado Works benefits, you must work with your case manger to create an Individualized Plan, and follow the steps in your plan to become more financially stable. Learn more about Individualized Plans, and working with Colorado Works.
Learn more
Work, Benefits, and You
Working with Colorado Works
After your application for Colorado Works is approved, you must meet with your case manager (sometimes called a coach or workforce specialist). If you are considered "work eligible," you and your case manager work together to create an Individualized Plan, listing everything you need to become more financially stable.
In smaller counties, your case manager could be the same person who did your eligibility interview. In larger counties, you may have to attend an orientation that explains how the county's Colorado Works program works before you meet with a case manager.
Your case manager talks with you to decide what services, training, or other support you and your family need. This can include questions about:
- Family
- Housing
- Work experience, including internships
- Anything in your life that prevents you from working
- Basic job skills (you may be asked to take tests)
- Education and training
- Interests
- Need for transportation to your job, schools, or place of childcare
- Need for childcare
- Health issues
- Past legal troubles (if any)
Tell your case manager about anything you might need, from counseling to a bus pass, school supplies, or diapers. If your case manager can't help you with those, they may be able to tell you where you can get the help you need.
If you are uncomfortable answering a question, ask why that question is being asked. If you are still uncomfortable about answering, tell your case manager that you would rather not answer, and ask what will happen if you don't answer.
Based on your answers, you and your case manager create your Individualized Plan.
If you have a disability, you and your case manager still create a plan for you, but it could include things like applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if you don't already get those benefits, or getting needed medical care.
Your Individualized Plan
Your plan should include:
- Everything you agree to do while getting Colorado Works benefits, and
- Everything the county agrees to do to help you.
You need to work with your case manager to make sure your plan meets your needs and includes goals that you can do and want to do. This can include:
- The kind of job you plan to find, including how much time you have to get that job.
- Which work activities you must do.
- Anything you and your family need, like SNAP, childcare, medical insurance, transportation, housing, school supplies, drug or alcohol treatment, or counseling.
- The date you have to have everything done.
Note: Your plan may look different if you or someone you are caring for has a disability, and the Colorado Works 60-month time limit might be extended, if you make a hardship request.
Work Activities
If you are considered work eligible, your plan will include doing a certain number of "work activity" hours each week. These can be:
- Unsubsidized employment
- Subsidized employment
- Work experience
- Actively looking for a job
- On-the-job training
- Vocational training
- Community service
- Job skills training directly related to getting a job
- Education directly related to getting a job
The work activities listed in your plan can be based on your situation. For example, if you are at risk of homelessness, your plan may include taking specific steps to find stable housing. If your children have health problems, your plan could include getting them medical care.
Note: If you or someone you care for has a disability, your plan could include activities like applying for disability benefits or getting medical care.
You must report any changes to your income or living situation by the 10th day of the month after the change. You can do this:
- Online through your Colorado PEAK account
- On your smartphone using the MyCOBenefits app (available from Google Play or Apple's App Store), or
- Through your local county human services department.
Be sure to report it if:
- Your income goes up or down, or you have a new source of income
- You move to a new address
- Someone leaves or joins your household
Reapplying or Recertification
When you get Colorado Works benefits, every six months you will be sent a Notice to Reapply, which may also be called a Reapplication, Redetermination, or Recertification Notice. To keep getting Colorado Works benefits, you must answer questions about whether there are any changes to your household, job status, other income, and expenses. You can do this online through your Colorado Peak account or on your smartphone using the MyCOBenefits app (available from Google Play or Apple's App Store). At least once a year, you will need to speak with an eligibility worker again as part of the reapplying/recertification process, to make sure you still qualify for Colorado Works.
If you work and earn a little money, Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs) might help lower your federal and state income taxes. Even if you don’t earn enough money to have to pay federal and state income taxes, you might get money back through the federal and state EITCs. Many people who qualify for EITCs don’t get them, because they don’t know they could or they don't file their taxes. Your Colorado Works case manager can help you decide if you might qualify for the EITCs, and how to get help filing your taxes. Learn more about EITCs and other tax credits in DB101's article on Building Your Assets and Wealth.
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Example
Jason and Isabel's Story
Jason’s family was having a difficult time making ends meet. Up until a month ago, he was able to support his wife Isabel and their young daughter through his job as a cashier at a local grocery store. Then the grocery store laid some people off. Jason lost his job, but he didn't qualify for unemployment benefits.
Jason and Isabel didn’t have much money in savings. They realized that they were going to have trouble paying for rent, food, and utilities. They decided to apply for help until they could get back on their feet. Jason had a disability. He had applied for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at his local Social Security office in the past, and had been told that his disability didn’t meet their definition of disability. So he knew he didn’t qualify to get SSI benefits.
So Jason went online to Colorado PEAK, gathered together all the information he needed based on the online examples of required documents, and applied for Colorado Works online. In a few days he got a phone call setting up an appointment for Isabel and Jason to meet with Maria, an eligibility worker.
Maria asked them a series of questions about their family, living situation, and work history, and reviewed their valid identification, and other required documents. Because Jason had checked the list online, he had brought everything they needed to the appointment.
"You only applied for Colorado Works, but if you qualify for Colorado Works, you might also be able to get SNAP and Health First Colorado (Medicaid)," Maria told them. "I'll add SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) and Health First Colorado (Medicaid) to your application, so if you qualify you'll get all three."
Several weeks later, Jason and his family got a letter saying they were approved for Colorado Works. Since they didn’t have any income, they get the maximum benefit for a family with two caretakers (parents) and one child, $619 a month.
Next, Jason and Isabel met with their case manager, Carol, to come up with a plan to get them jobs.
Isabel needed just a few more classes to complete her training as an x-ray technician, but had put those plans on hold when they had their child. Her Individualized Plan included finishing those credits and then searching for a job.
Jason’s plan was a little different because of his disability. He thought that maybe he could work from home doing customer service over the phone. His plan included a one-week customer service training program and then searching for a job.
Jason and Isabel had two concerns about working.
“Ok, so I’d love to go back to school,” Isabel said, “but what about my little girl? I can’t afford to pay someone to watch her.”
“I'll give you a referral to the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP)," Carol told them. "Because you're on Colorado Works now, you'll be able to bypass the waiting list and get subsidized child care more quickly."
“Great!” said Isabel. “That solves that problem.”
“But what happens when one of us starts working?" Jason asked. "Won’t our benefits go down? Won’t we be even more broke then?”
“Not necessarily,” Carol reassured them. “It depends on many factors. But no matter how much money you make, Colorado Works only counts 33% of what you earn. So you’ll still be eligible for benefits until you get back on track. Plus you’ll have even more money than just being on Colorado Works alone.”
Jason and Isabel left the meeting with their case manager feeling like things were looking up. With a little help, they’d be back on their feet soon enough.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Colorado Works?
Colorado Works helps low-income families by giving them money to pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent. At the same time, it helps these families find ways to become more financially stable by offering things like education and training, job referrals, help applying for other benefit programs, or other steps to create more income. Colorado Works also helps with things like child care or finding housing. Colorado Works is part of the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which has different names (and somewhat different rules) in different states. Learn more about Colorado Works.
Who can get Colorado Works benefits?
To get Colorado Works, you must:
- Be a Colorado resident
- Have a child under 18 at home (or be pregnant)
- Be a U.S. citizen, legal alien, or qualified alien
- Have very low or no income
- Work with your case manager to create an Individualized Plan listing the steps needed to make you more financially stable, then sign and follow your plan
- Cooperate with Child Support Services to get child support payments for your children, if applicable (unless you have good cause not to because of domestic violence)
You can also get Colorado Works benefits if you are a member of an Indian Tribe, but only if you do not get benefits under a Tribal Family Assistance Plan.
How does Colorado Works define a family?
Colorado Works defines a family (officially called an "Assistance Unit") as one or two parents (or other caregivers) living with their child or children under 18. If your child is 18 years old, they still qualify as long as they are in school full time and will be graduating before they are 19. A family can include biological kids, step kids, adopted kids, and children of relatives. Learn more about who Colorado Works includes as part of your family.
Does what I have in the bank or the property I own affect whether I can get Colorado Works benefits?
Colorado Works looks at your income when deciding if you qualify for benefits, but there is no limit on the amount of resources you have. Learn more about who can get Colorado Works benefits.
How much can I earn and still get Colorado Works benefits?
There’s a limit to how much income you can have and still qualify for Colorado Works. The limit is called a Need Standard, which is based on your family size. The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) lists the need standards for different family situations.
To decide if you can get benefits, Colorado Works:
- Subtracts $90 from the total earned income that you get (or expect to get) during the month you apply.
- Adds any unearned income, like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), investment income, or other money you get that isn’t from work.
- The total is your countable income for eligibility. If your countable income is less than the Need Standard for your family size, you qualify for Colorado Works benefits.
For example, a family with one parent and one child under 18 can get Colorado Works if their countable income is less than $331, while a family with one parent and two children under 18 qualify if their countable income is less than $421 a month.
How much money will I get each month from Colorado Works?
The exact amount you get from Colorado Works each month depends on your family situation. For example, a family with one parent, two children, and no income can get up to a maximum of $592 per month from Colorado Works. Make sure you give your caseworker all the information needed to calculate your amount correctly. To calculate your monthly benefit, Colorado Works:
- Looks at your earned income and multiplies by 0.33 (or 33% of the total). For example, if you have a job and make $1,000 a month, Colorado Works says you only have $330 in countable income.
- Adds in any unearned income you get (like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), unemployment benefits, investment income, or other money you get that isn’t from work) to get your total countable income (one-third of your earned income plus all unearned income).
- Figures out the highest Colorado Works benefit your family can get based on your family’s size and living situation. For example, the maximum benefit for a family with one parent and two children) is $592 per month. The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) lists the maximum benefits (grant amounts) for different family situations.
- Takes the maximum benefit possible for a family like yours (from step 3) and subtracts your family’s countable income (from step 2), which gives the amount your family gets each month.
What is a Colorado Works diversion payment?
If your need is temporary, your county might offer you a one-time "diversion payment" instead of monthly Colorado Works cash benefits (not all counties offer diversion payments). A diversion payment helps you pay for something specific to help you be able to support yourself and your family, like car repairs (so you can get to your job), buying work clothes or uniforms, paying for a training program, or counseling. You do not have to accept a diversion payment if you would rather get a monthly cash benefit, but a diversion payment does not count against the 60-month Colorado Works limit, and it can be a good option if you only qualify for a small monthly benefit.
If you think a one-time payment might be better for you than monthly benefits, ask your eligibility worker or case manager if your county offers diversion payments.
What are Colorado Works 'supportive services'?
In addition to your monthly Colorado Works cash benefit, your county may offer you what is called "supportive services" or "special needs payments" to help you and your family become financially stable. This might include things like referrals for housing or counseling, bus passes, school supplies, diapers, or help paying your rent or car insurance. Not every county offers these types of services, and what is offered varies. Mention your specific needs to your eligibility worker when you apply, and to your case manager after you start getting Colorado Works benefits, and ask what type of support might be available. Learn more about Colorado Works benefits.
What if I need financial help right away?
When you apply for Colorado Works, be sure to tell both your eligibility worker and your case manager if you need help right away. They can tell you if there are other community resources that can help you while you're waiting to be approved for Colorado Works. And if you qualify for Colorado Works, you might also get SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) benefits, which may start sooner than Colorado Works. Learn more about SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) and Colorado Works.
If I work, what will happen to my Colorado Works benefits?
If you earn money at work, the Colorado Works program is designed so that your benefit never goes down by as much money as you make. That means that you’ll always be better off if you have a job. Learn more about working with Colorado Works.
How do I get my Colorado Works benefits payments?
Most people get their Colorado Works monthly payments through an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, but you can ask to get your payments on a KeyBank debit card or by direct deposit to your bank account. Read more about Understanding Your Colorado Works Benefits.
What is an Individualized Plan for Colorado Works?
If you get Colorado Works and are considered "work eligible," you and your case manager work together to create an Individualized Plan that lists everything you need to become more financially stable. It should include:
- Everything you agree to do while getting Colorado Works benefits, and
- Everything the county agrees to do to help you.
You need to work with your case manager to make sure your plan meets your needs and includes goals that you can do and want to do. If you have a disability, you and your case manager still create a plan for you, but it could include things like applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if you don't already get those benefits, or getting needed medical care.
What are Colorado Works work activities?
If your Colorado Works case manager decides that you are "job ready," you are required to do a certain number of hours of "work activities" each week as part of your Individualized Plan. If you don't do the weekly work activities listed in your plan, you might lose your Colorado Works monthly benefits.
Work activities can include doing things like subsidized work, work experience, actively looking for a job, on-the-job training, or community service. If you or someone you care for has a disability, your plan could include activities like applying for disability benefits or getting medical care. Learn more about work activities for Colorado Works.
How long can I get the monthly Colorado Works cash benefit?
You can get monthly Colorado Works cash benefits for up to 60 months (five years), as long as you continue to qualify and meet the requirements of your Individualized Plan. Sometimes referred to as the "time clock," the 60 months is a lifetime limit. For example, if you get benefits for 12 months, go off Colorado Works for a while, and then get back on later, you only have 48 months of cash benefits remaining. The time clock runs any month you get a cash benefit from Colorado Works. In some situations (cases of hardship or domestic violence) you might be able to get cash benefits for more than 60 months. Learn more about the Colorado Works time clock.
How do I apply for Colorado Works?
You can apply for Colorado Works:
- Online using Colorado Peak
- On your smartphone using the MyCOBenefits app available from Google Play or Apple's App Store
- By downloading and printing an application, completing it, and then mailing, emailing, or faxing it in, or
- At your local county human services department.
No matter which way you apply, you can choose to use this same application to apply for Colorado Works, SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), Health First Colorado (Medicaid), cash assistance, Colorado's Old Age Pension, and other benefits programs.
Can I get both Colorado Works and SSI?
You can’t be on both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Colorado Works at the same time, so if you’re approved for SSI, you won’t get Colorado Works. However, you may be able to get Colorado Works for other members of your family who aren’t receiving SSI. Apply and ask your caseworker for more information.
Can I get both Colorado Works and SSDI?
You might be able to get both Colorado Works and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), depending on how much (or little) you get from SSDI. If you get SSDI, it will be counted as unearned income by Colorado Works.
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Frequent Pitfalls
Not paying attention to your 60-month 'time clock.'
You can get up to 60 months (five years) of Colorado Works cash benefits, as long as you continue to qualify and meet the requirements of your Individualized Plan. Sometimes called "the time clock," the 60 months is a lifetime limit. For example, if you get benefits for 12 months, go off Colorado Works for a while, and then get back on later, you only have 48 months of cash benefits remaining. If you only qualify for a small monthly Colorado Works benefit, it might be better to get other benefits, like Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or other programs, so that if you need Colorado Works benefits later on, you still have time left on your clock. Learn more about the Colorado Works time clock.
Not following your Individualized Plan
If you are considered "work eligible," you and your Colorado Works case manager work together to create an Individualized Plan listing everything you need to get a job and become more financially stable. If you or someone you care for has a disability, your plan could include activities like applying for disability benefits or getting medical care. You must sign your plan, and if you do not do the work activities and other steps listed in your plan you might lose your monthly Colorado Works benefits. Learn more about Individualized Plans.
Not reporting changes to your income or living situation
You must report any changes to your income or living situation by the 10th day of the month after the change. You can do this:
- Online through your Colorado PEAK account
- On your smartphone using the MyCOBenefits app (available from Google Play or Apple's App Store), or
- Through your local county human services department.
Be sure to report if:
- Your income goes up or down, or you have a new source of income
- You move to a new address
- Someone leaves or joins your household
If you don't report these changes on time, you may get an overpayment, which you will have to repay.
Not filling out the application completely or correctly
Whether you apply online through Colorado PEAK, at your local county human services department, on your smartphone using the MyCOBenefits app for Android or iOS, or with a paper application, the process can feel long and complicated. It's important to fill out the application correctly and completely. Don't just apply for Colorado Works, you can use the same application to see if you qualify for SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), Health First Colorado (Medicaid), cash assistance, Colorado's Old Age Pension, and other benefits programs. Read everything carefully and supply all the information that is needed, so you get all the help that you can.
Listening to misinformation
It can be difficult to get accurate and complete information about public benefits programs. Family, friends, or some social workers and advocates may have limited knowledge of available options. They may also be unaware of how changes in income or employment can affect whether you qualify for specific programs. To be sure the information you get is accurate and complete, contact your county human services department.
Learn more
Next Steps
Learn More
The Colorado Department of Human Services provides a brief overview of Colorado Works.
Each of Colorado's 64 counties operates its own Colorado Works program, so the procedures and rules vary. Contact your local county human services department to find out exactly what is available in your area.
Apply for Colorado Works
You can apply for Colorado Works:
- Online using Colorado Peak
- On your smartphone using the MyCOBenefits app available from Google Play or Apple's App Store
- By downloading and printing an application, completing it, and then mailing, emailing, or faxing it in, or
- At your local county human services department.
You can use this same application to apply for Colorado Works, SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), Health First Colorado (Medicaid), cash assistance, Colorado's Old Age Pension, and other benefits programs.
Ticket to Work
Social Security’s Ticket to Work Program helps people with disabilities who get Social Security benefits re-enter the workforce and become more independent. The Ticket to Work Program offers free access to employment-related services, such as training, transportation, and vocational rehabilitation. You can call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).
Get Help with Your Benefits
A trained Benefits Planner can help you understand your benefits programs. Exactly who you need to contact depends on your situation and the benefits you get.
View DB101's full list of experts who can help you understand different benefits.