How to Use the Rhode Island Child Support Calculator
Enter what you know and press Calculate Estimate. The calculator follows Family Court Administrative Order 2023-02 and the Child Support Guideline Worksheet (FC-78).
- Enter each parent's gross monthly income.
- Choose the number of children and the parent with placement.
- Add the children's health insurance premium (deducted from the paying parent's income) and work-related child care after the federal tax credit.
- Tick shared placement only if each parent has the children at least 49% of the time.
Rhode Island orders are often weekly; the result also shows the weekly amount (monthly divided by 4.3, as in the court's examples). Your numbers are sent with the form, not placed in the page address, and this site does not store them. This is a planning estimate. The Family Court sets the actual amount.
Rhode Island Child Support Guidelines in 2026
Looking for Rhode Island child support guidelines for 2026? The current schedule took effect July 1, 2023 under Administrative Order 2023-02, after a review by the Child Support Guideline Task Force. It is based on 2021 Betson-Rothbart measurements of child-rearing costs and includes a self-support reserve of $1,333 a month (the 2022 federal poverty guideline for one person). The order says the next review must begin by May 2027. We found no newer schedule for 2026.
The 2023 Rhode Island Schedule
Sample rows (combined monthly gross income):
| Combined monthly income | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children |
|---|
| $1,350 | $50 | $50 | $50 |
| $3,000 | $578 | $891 | $1,057 |
| $4,900 | $902 | $1,356 | $1,628 |
| $8,000 | $1,185 | $1,804 | $2,177 |
| $10,000 | $1,323 | $1,988 | $2,393 |
| $40,000 | $3,281 | $4,819 | $5,614 |
The schedule runs from $1,350 to $40,000 in $50 steps for one to six children and presumes the other parent has at least 20% of overnights. Above $40,000 the court's example multiplies the $40,000 amount by the ratio of the family's income to $40,000. The shaded low-income area reflects the self-support reserve.
Rhode Island Child Support Examples
In each example Parent B has placement. Amounts come from this calculator.
Example 1: The court's Exhibit 1
A earns $2,288 and B earns $2,580, two children. Combined $4,868 rounds up to $4,900; the schedule gives $1,356, and A's 47% is $637.32 a month ($148.21 a week), the same as the court's example.
Example 2: Shared placement (Exhibit 8)
Same incomes, one child, shared placement. Shares of $902 are $478.06 and $423.94, so B (the higher income) pays $54.12 a month.
Example 3: One child
A earns $5,000 and B earns $3,000. The schedule gives $1,185 at $8,000, and A's 63% is $746.55 a month.
Example 4: A pays insurance and child care
A earns $6,000 and pays $200 insurance and $500 child care; B earns $4,000, two children. A's income becomes $5,800; the total of $1,974 plus $500 times 59%, less the $500 A pays, is $959.66 a month.
These are illustrations produced from the guidelines, not court rulings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rhode Island Child Support
Is this the official Rhode Island child support calculator?
No. ChildSupportCalculator.xyz is an independent tool and is not affiliated with the State of Rhode Island, the Family Court or OCSS. It applies Administrative Order 2023-02. The court sets the actual amount.
When did the current Rhode Island child support schedule start?
July 1, 2023, under Family Court Administrative Order 2023-02.
Does Rhode Island use gross or net income?
Gross income, adjusted for required deductions such as preexisting support and the children's health insurance premium.
How is combined income rounded in Rhode Island?
Always up to the next $50 step of the schedule.
How does shared placement work in Rhode Island?
If each parent has the children at least 49% of the time, each parent's share of the obligation is calculated and the smaller is subtracted from the larger.
Is child care included in Rhode Island child support?
Yes. Work-related child care, minus the federal tax credit, is added to the basic obligation and shared by income.
Why does the calculator show a weekly amount?
Rhode Island orders are often weekly; the court's examples divide the monthly amount by 4.3.
Does the Rhode Island calculator need my personal details or a login?
No. This site needs no login and does not store your numbers.
Official Rhode Island Child Support Resources
Published: October 21, 2026
Last reviewed: October 21, 2026
Researched and reviewed by Eric John, founder and editor, using official state statutes and guidance. How we build and check our calculators · Corrections
