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Rhode Island child support: the Family Court schedule and FC-78 worksheet

Rhode Island's guidelines come from a Family Court administrative order, not a statute table. The current one, Administrative Order 2023-02, took effect July 1, 2023 and is due for review by May 2027. Here is how the worksheet turns two incomes into a monthly figure.

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At a glance

ModelIncome shares on combined monthly adjusted gross income (Family Court Administrative Order 2023-02)
Schedule range$1,350 to $40,000 combined a month in $50 steps, for 1 to 6 children
Shared placementAt least 49% of the time with each parent: the parents' shares are offset, with no multiplier
Self-support reserve$1,333 a month (2022 federal poverty guideline)
Support endsAge 18; if still in high school, the court may extend it up to 90 days after graduation, never past the 19th birthday
ReviewAgency cases can be reviewed every 3 years on request without proving a change; sooner requires a substantial change
AgencyOffice of Child Support Services (OCSS), Rhode Island Department of Human Services

How Rhode Island calculates child support

Rhode Island uses the income shares model the Family Court adopted years ago and kept in its 2023 order. Each parent starts from monthly gross income on the Family Court worksheet, Form FC-78, then subtracts support already paid for other children, the health insurance premiums that parent pays, and a credit for other minor dependents. That leaves monthly adjusted gross income.

The two adjusted incomes are added, rounded up to the next $50, and looked up in the Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations. Each parent owes a share in proportion to income. The schedule is monthly, but many Rhode Island orders are entered as a weekly amount, and the worksheet lets the court state the order weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.

The schedule assumes a standard schedule in which the parent who pays has the children at least 20% of overnights. Rhode Island does not post an official online calculator; the FC-78 worksheet and the schedule in the administrative order are the official tools.

Worked example: Rhode Island

  1. Parent A has $6,000 in monthly adjusted gross income and Parent B has $4,000. Combined, $10,000, which is already a $50 step.
  2. The 2023 schedule lists $1,988 a month for two children at $10,000.
  3. Parent A's income share is 60%, so Parent A's part of the obligation is $1,193 and Parent B's is $795.
  4. With the children placed mainly with Parent B, Parent A pays $1,193 a month ($14,316 a year), plus a share of work-related child care if there is any.

This is an estimate, not legal advice. Figures are rounded to the dollar and leave out the insurance, childcare, and other adjustments your case may have. Try your own numbers in CoreParent's calculator, then confirm with the state's official calculator.

Shared placement in Rhode Island: the 49% line

Rhode Island has no sliding credit for extra overnights. When each parent has at least 49% of the time with one or more of the children, the method from the Family Court's earlier Administrative Order 2018-01 applies: each parent's share of the basic obligation is computed, and the parent with the larger share pays the difference. There is no 1.5 multiplier for two households.

In the example, if Parent A has 179 nights a year and Parent B has 186, both are above 49%, so Parent A pays the difference between the two shares: about $398 a month instead of $1,193. Below 49% each, extra time can only be raised as a reason for the court to deviate.

Health insurance and child care

The schedule already includes $250 per child per year for ordinary medical expenses. A parent who pays the health insurance premium deducts it from gross income on the worksheet. Under the state's child support rules, if coverage would cost more than 5% of the parent's gross income, the court may order cash medical support instead. Work-related child care, minus the federal child care tax credit, is added to the obligation and split by income.

Low income

The 2023 order updated the self-support reserve to $1,333 a month, the 2022 federal poverty guideline for one person. The schedule starts at $1,350 of combined income, where it lists $50 for any number of children, and a shaded low-income band phases in above that.

Other children and split placement

Preexisting child support a parent pays is deducted on the worksheet, and a separate line gives a credit for additional minor dependents. When each parent has primary placement of at least one child, each parent's obligation for the children living with the other parent is computed and the two are offset.

When support ends and how to change it

Support ends at 18. If the child is still in high school, the court may continue it for up to 90 days after graduation, but never beyond the child's 19th birthday. For a child with a severe physical or mental impairment that began before emancipation, the court may order support to continue.

A modification takes effect only from the date the other parent received notice of the request, and the court must find a substantial change in circumstances. In cases handled by the child support office, either parent can ask for a review every three years, and the order is adjusted to the guidelines without having to prove a change.

Collection and enforcement

The Office of Child Support Services, part of the Rhode Island Department of Human Services, establishes, collects and enforces support. It posts the current guidelines order, the schedule and the FC-78 worksheet on its attorney information page.

Documents you will need

Rhode Island child support FAQ

Is there an official Rhode Island child support calculator for 2026?

Not an online one. The official tools are the Family Court worksheet (Form FC-78) and the schedule in Administrative Order 2023-02, both posted by the Office of Child Support Services. CoreParent's calculator reads that official 2023 schedule, rounding combined income up to the next $50 as the order requires.

How is child support calculated in Rhode Island?

Each parent's gross income is adjusted on the FC-78 worksheet, the two are combined and rounded up to the next $50, the schedule gives a basic obligation, and each parent pays a share in proportion to income, plus a share of work-related child care.

How much is child support for 2 kids in Rhode Island?

At $10,000 of combined monthly income the schedule shows $1,988 for two children. A parent with 60% of the income would pay about $1,193 a month, often written in the order as a weekly amount.

Does 50/50 placement mean no child support in Rhode Island?

Only if incomes are about equal. With at least 49% each, the higher earner pays the difference between the two income shares. In our 60/40 income example that is about $398 a month.

When does child support end in Rhode Island?

At 18, unless the child is still in high school, in which case the court may extend it up to 90 days after graduation but not past the 19th birthday. Support for a severely disabled child can continue longer.

Next steps

Sources

Verified against these official sources in October 2026:

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This is general educational information, not legal advice, and official figures change. Last verified: October 2026. Consult a licensed family-law attorney in Rhode Island.