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Rhode Island Alimony Calculator (2026)

Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 15‑5‑16 the court weighs a list of factors rather than a set formula, and Rhode Island treats alimony as rehabilitative and time‑limited by default. Only when a judge finds a spouse cannot become self‑sufficient can indefinite support be ordered. This tool provides a rule‑of‑thumb estimate – not a legal determination.

Reviewed 2026-09-02 · Estimates only — not legal or financial advice.

Rhode Island has no statutory alimony formula. Courts decide case by case under R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-16. The calculator below shows a widely used rule of thumb (the AAML guideline) as a negotiation starting point — it is not the law and a judge may land anywhere the factors justify.
Before taxes.
Before taxes.
The law behind this calculator: Rhode Island alimony factors — R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-16.

How Rhode Island calculates it

  • Calculate 30% of the higher‑earning spouse’s gross annual income.
  • Calculate 20% of the lower‑earning spouse’s gross annual income.
  • Subtract the lower‑earner amount from the higher‑earner amount to get a preliminary yearly support figure.
  • Apply the cap so the recipient’s total income does not exceed 40% of the combined income of both spouses.
  • Determine the guideline duration: 30% of marriage length if under 3 years, 50% if 3–10 years, 75% if 10–20 years, and indefinite if over 20 years.

Worked example

In the example, the higher earner makes $100,000 per year and the lower earner $40,000. Thirty percent of $100,000 equals $30,000; twenty percent of $40,000 equals $8,000; the difference is $22,000 per year, which the 40% cap reduces to $16,000 per year, or roughly $1,333 per month as a rule‑of‑thumb starting point. For a 12‑year marriage, which falls in the 10‑to‑20‑year range, the duration guide is 75% of 144 months, about 108 months. The court is not bound by any of this.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Rhode Island spouse receive alimony after a marriage of less than three years?

The rule‑of‑thumb suggests 30% of the marriage length, which would be a short support period, and Rhode Island’s default rehabilitative approach makes courts less likely to award long‑term alimony for brief marriages.

Is alimony taxable in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island follows federal treatment: alimony received after 2018 is not deductible by the payer nor taxable to the recipient for state income tax purposes.

When can a Rhode Island court order indefinite alimony?

Indefinite alimony is only ordered if the court finds the receiving spouse cannot achieve self‑sufficiency despite reasonable efforts, otherwise support is limited in time.

What does the 40% cap mean for the recipient’s income?

The guideline caps the support so that the recipient’s total income – including the proposed alimony – does not exceed 40% of the combined gross income of both spouses.

Have there been recent changes to how Rhode Island calculates alimony?

The state has reinforced its rehabilitative, time‑limited default, requiring a specific finding of inability to become self‑sufficient for any indefinite award; the rule‑of‑thumb percentages remain a common estimation method.

Is the calculation different in Providence, Warwick or Cranston?

No. R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-16 applies statewide, so courts in Providence, Warwick, Cranston and every other county start from the same guideline. Local practice can differ in how judges weigh deviation factors and in typical negotiated outcomes, but the formula on this page is the one used across Rhode Island.

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