1 Child
~19%
1.0pp above average
Data updated September 2026
2021 guideline data Income Shares model OCSE FY2023 source
Rhode Island Child Support Guidelines
Rhode Island posts 73.9% of its Title IV-D caseload with an established order - thinner than two-thirds of reporting jurisdictions on OCSE P-64 (methodology and case-counting also move this share). The Income Shares schedule (43 jurisdictions on this model) opens higher than most peers before deviations.
- 19%
- 1-child base rate
- #10 of 51
- base-rate rank
- #42
- enforcement caseload rank
- 73.9%
- cases with order
$1,172/mo
One-child base rate at Rhode Island's median income
19% of $74,008, the Census ACS 2022 median household income for Rhode Island, divided across twelve months, 23% above the median state. An index for comparing states, not a case estimate: guidelines apply to the obligor's income, or to combined parental income under the Income Shares model, and a court sets the actual order. How this is derived.
OCSE guideline posture brief
Rhode Island Title IV-D posture in this snapshot
Entity-varying stamps from NCSL guideline tables and OCSE FY2023 preliminary reporting (P-52 caseload, P-4 collections, P-64 order share) - not a clone nationwide scaffold.
- 19% published one-child starting rate #10 of 51
- Income 43 jurisdictions share this model
- 73.9% caseload with support order (OCSE P-64) #50 nationally
- 47,225 Title IV-D caseload (OCSE P-52) #42 by volume
- $1,522 distributed collections per case (our calc)
- Colorado nearest rate peer (Δ 0.0 pts)
- 2021 guideline vintage on registry
One-child rate neighbourhood
Published starting percentages among the nearest rate peers (snapshot September 2026).
Income Shares · INC · MID
National context
Where Rhode Island's one-child starting rate sits
Each bar counts states with a published one-child base rate in that 3-point band. Rhode Island's higher-third 19% mark is highlighted. Counts are exact from the 51-jurisdiction dataset.
Rhode Island's 19% published one-child base rate is higher than 34 of 51 recorded state rates. The comparison describes guideline starting percentages, not a complete child-support estimate. Rhode Island sits in a higher-rate band on this histogram.
Source: State guideline records, 51 jurisdictions with published one-child base rates
2 Children
~27%
1.3pp above average
3 Children
~33%
1.7pp above average
4 Children
~37%
1.8pp above average
Income Cap
None
uncapped
Thinner order-establishment share
Rhode Island in the thinner-order third
Rhode Island sits in the bottom third on OCSE P-64 order share (73.9% · #50 of 51).
Rhode Island posts 73.9% of its Title IV-D caseload with an established order - thinner than two-thirds of reporting jurisdictions on OCSE P-64 (methodology and case-counting also move this share). The Income Shares schedule (43 jurisdictions on this model) opens higher than most peers before deviations. Unlike capped states, the formula applies to full reported income before deductions. Nearest one-child rate peer: Colorado at 19% (Δ 0.0 pts). Rhode Island allows a parenting-time adjustment when the non-custodial parent exercises substantial overnight time. A percentage figure alone does not determine the dollar amount - compare Rhode Island to other guideline models →
On OCSE FY2023 tables, Rhode Island ranks #50 of 51 on order-establishment share and #42 by caseload volume (~$1,522 distributed per case, our calc on P-4/P-52). Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report.
How Rhode Island Calculates Child Support
Rhode Island uses the Income Shares model. Both parents' incomes are combined, the total obligation is looked up from a schedule, then split proportionally based on each parent's income share. Its one-child base rate is in line with the national middle range. That higher-third starting rate is the schedule's open before deviations.
Income Shares model.
Rhode Island guideline parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Formula Model | Income Shares |
| Income Floor | None |
| Income Ceiling | Uncapped |
| Parenting Time Adjustment | Available |
| Median Household Income | $74,008/yr |
| Single-Child Base | 19% (rank #10 of 51) |
Not legal advice for Rhode Island: figures here are published-guideline estimates only. Actual orders can differ under judicial discretion, deviation factors, and the current Rhode Island schedule. Consult a family law attorney licensed in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island Child Support Enforcement
47,225
Active Cases
$71.9M
Annual Collections
73.9%
Cases with Orders
$1,522
Collected per case (our calculation)
Rhode Island vs national average (51 reporting states)
Cases with orders 73.9%
national
73.9% of Rhode Island's caseload has a support order established; average across the 51 jurisdictions 86.6%.
Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report, Tables P-52 (caseload), P-4 (distributed collections) and P-64 (cases with orders)
F
State Support Program Score
8/100
Rhode Island
Based on order-establishment rate, per-case collection efficiency, and calculator access from federal OCSE and Census ACS data, not the guideline percentage itself, case outcomes, or any individual family's experience.
Order Establishment F
73.9%
Share of caseload with a support order in place (OCSE Table P-64); 51-state range 80.5%-93.8%, median 86.6%
Collection Efficiency F
$1,522/case
Dollars collected per enforcement case per year (OCSE Table P-4); 51-state range $1,522-$2,922, median $2,131
Income-Adjusted Collections F
2.06% of median income
Collections per case relative to state median household income (OCSE + Census ACS); 51-state range 2.39%-4.24%, median 3.16%
Calculator Access F
Not published
Whether the state publishes an official online support calculator
Interactive Calculator for Rhode Island
The Rhode Island interactive calculator is being finalized. Use the official state calculator below for your estimate.
Official RI CalculatorNearest one-child rate peers
Closest published starting percentages to Rhode Island's 19% (MID band) - model stamps INC/PCT/MEL, not an A-Z clone list.
Read our methodology - how Rhode Island guideline and OCSE figures on this page are sourced.
Data sources for Rhode Island
Guideline parameters from Rhode Island statutes and published schedules; enforcement columns from HHS OCSS FY2023 Preliminary Report (P-52 / P-4 / P-64). See methodology. Retrieved and formatted by PlainChildSupport for Rhode Island.