Rhode Island Nanny Tax Calculator

How does the calculator estimate Rhode Island nanny taxes?

It adds up everything you owe as the employer in Rhode Island, on top of your nanny's wages.

• Federal FICA: 15.3% combined, split between you and your nanny
• Federal FUTA: 0.6% effective on the first $7,000
• Rhode Island SUTA: 0.9% - 9.4%
• Rhode Island state income tax (when withheld)
• Rhode Island disability insurance
• Rhode Island paid family leave premium

Figures are 2026 rates and use the 2026 FICA threshold of $3,000.

Does Rhode Island require state income tax withholding from a nanny's paycheck?

Usually not. Rhode Island has a state income tax, but withholding it from a household employee is optional unless your nanny asks for it.

• It is usually optional, and your nanny elects it on Rhode Island's W-4 equivalent
• If they do elect it, you owe quarterly remittance to the state and an annual reconciliation return that includes the W-2 you issued

What's the minimum hourly rate I can pay a nanny in Rhode Island?

At least $16.00 an hour for a nanny in Rhode Island.

• That is Rhode Island's own minimum wage, above the federal $7.25 floor
• Some cities and counties may set a higher floor, so check your locality before you set a rate
• Overtime is 1.5x pay for hours over 40 in a week, under the FLSA
• Live-in nannies are exempt from FLSA overtime, but not from minimum wage

US DOL, State Minimum Wage Laws

Does Rhode Island add disability or paid family leave premiums?

Yes, both. Rhode Island Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) cover household employees.

• Both are usually funded by employee-side withholding, and some states add an employer contribution
• You register and remit for it separately from unemployment insurance, on the state's schedule, usually quarterly

Missing this registration is one of the most common household-employer audit findings.

Why does my Rhode Island nanny's net pay differ from the calculator total?

Because they answer different questions. The calculator's employer total is what leaves your account; net pay is what lands in your Rhode Island nanny's.

• Federal FICA: 6.2% Social Security plus 1.45% Medicare, so 7.65% off the top
• Any federal income tax your nanny chose to have withheld
• Rhode Island income tax, if your nanny elected it on the state W-4
• Their share of Rhode Island Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)

Your own share, the employer FICA match plus FUTA and SUTA, sits on top of gross pay rather than coming out of it.