Debt to Income Ratio Calculator Icon

Debt to Income Ratio Calculator

Calculate debt to income ratio with this calculator

  • Created by Sarah Martinez
  • Reviewed by Michelle Carter

Yearly Income (before tax):

Monthly Debts / Expenses:

Debt to Income Ratio:

The debt to income ratio will vary based on your own financial situation. The debt to income ratio calculator is for guidance only.

What does debt to income mean?

Lenders use the debt-to-income (DTI) ratio to measure your borrowing risk. It is the percentage of your gross monthly income that goes to making your monthly debt obligations.

Will my debt to income ratio affect my mortgage?

A low debt-to-income (DTI) ratio demonstrates a good balance between debt and income. In other words, if your DTI ratio is 15%, that means that 15% of your monthly gross income goes to debt payments each month. Conversely, a high DTI ratio can signal that an individual has too much debt for the amount of income earned each month.

Typically, borrowers with low debt-to-income ratios are likely to manage their monthly debt payments effectively. As a result, banks and financial credit providers want to see low DTI ratios before issuing loans to a potential borrower. The preference for low DTI ratios makes sense since lenders want to be sure a borrower isn't overextended meaning they have too many debt payments relative to their income.

Is the debt to income ratio important?

The DTI ratio is merely one financial ratio or measure utilized in credit decisions, despite its importance. The credit history and credit score of a borrower will also play a big role in whether or not credit is extended to them. A credit score is a numerical representation of your capacity to repay debt. Late payments, delinquencies, the number of open credit accounts, credit card balances compared to credit limits, and credit usage are all elements that might affect a credit score adversely or favorably.

How to reduce debt to income ratio?

When you use the debt to income ratio calculator, you can quickly see the areas you need to improve on. The most practical way to improve debt to income ratio is to reduce your monthly recurring debt or increase your gross monthly income. The DTI ratio may also be used to calculate the proportion of income spent on housing expenditures, which is the monthly rent for renters. Lenders look at a potential borrower's gross income to determine if they can handle their present debt load while still paying their rent on time.

To get a better idea of how your monthly expenses are accrued, check out the living cost calculator. With a clear picture of your expenses, it will be easier to see areas where areas you can cut back on. If you are able to reduce your life expenses then it should also lower your debt to income ratio, making it easier to get home loans or mortgages.

What is a good debt to income ratio?

As a general rule, a borrower's DTI ratio cannot exceed 43 percent while still qualifying for a mortgage. Lenders want a debt-to-income ratio of less than 36 percent, with no more than 28 percent of the debt being used to pay a mortgage or rent. The maximum debt-to-income ratio varies per lender. The lower the debt-to-income ratio, however, the more likely the borrower will be accepted, or at the very least evaluated, for credit.

FAQS

Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI) is a financial metric that compares your total monthly debt payments to your gross monthly income. It is used by lenders to assess your ability to manage and repay debt.

DTI is calculated by dividing your total monthly debt payments by your gross monthly income, and then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. The formula is: DTI = (Total Monthly Debt Payments / Gross Monthly Income) * 100.

A good DTI ratio is typically 36% or lower. This means that your monthly debt payments make up 36% or less of your gross monthly income. A lower DTI ratio indicates a healthier financial situation, as it suggests that you have more income available to cover your living expenses and save.

DTI is important for lenders because it helps them assess your ability to take on additional debt responsibly. A lower DTI ratio indicates that you have a lower level of debt relative to your income, making you a more favorable candidate for loans or credit. It's a key factor in determining loan eligibility and terms.

Factors that contribute to DTI include any monthly debt obligations, such as:

  • Mortgage or rent payments
  • Car loan payments
  • Student loan payments
  • Minimum credit card payments
  • Other monthly debt obligations

To improve your DTI ratio, you can:

  • Pay down existing debt to reduce monthly payments
  • Increase your income, if possible, to raise your gross monthly income
  • Avoid taking on additional debt
  • Consider consolidating or refinancing high-interest debt to lower monthly payments
  • Create a budget to manage expenses and allocate funds towards debt repayment

Lenders often have specific maximum DTI ratio requirements for approving mortgages. The exact threshold can vary, but a common benchmark is around 43%. This means that your total monthly debt payments should not exceed 43% of your gross monthly income to qualify for a mortgage.