Debt & Credit
Debt-to-Income Calculator
Calculate your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio to see how lenders view your financial health and whether you're likely to qualify for a mortgage or other loan.
Before taxes. Include all income sources.
Monthly Debt Payments
🔒 All calculations happen instantly in your browser. No data is sent to any server.
How the calculation works
Back-End DTI = Total Monthly Debt Payments ÷ Gross Monthly Income × 100
Front-End DTI = Monthly Housing Cost ÷ Gross Monthly Income × 100
Example: Income $6,000/mo · Mortgage $1,500 · Car $400 · Credit cards $200 = Total debt $2,100
Back-end DTI = $2,100 ÷ $6,000 = 35% · Front-end = $1,500 ÷ $6,000 = 25%
Frequently Asked Questions
- Below 36% is generally considered good. Below 20% is excellent. Most conventional mortgage lenders cap back-end DTI at 43–45%. FHA loans allow up to 50% in some cases. Lower DTI = better loan terms and more lender options.
- Front-end DTI (housing ratio) includes only housing costs: mortgage/rent, property tax, insurance, HOA. Back-end DTI includes all monthly debt: housing + car loans + student loans + credit card minimums + any other obligations.
- Monthly minimum payments on: mortgage/rent, auto loans, student loans, credit card balances, personal loans, child support/alimony, and any other regular debt obligation. Utilities, groceries, insurance premiums, and subscriptions are NOT included.
- Pay down debt to reduce monthly obligations (especially credit cards), increase income, avoid taking on new debt before applying, or save a larger down payment to borrow less. Even closing paid-off cards can temporarily help by removing the minimum payment obligation.
- Usually yes — most lenders count 75% of gross rental income to account for vacancies. Self-employment income typically uses a 2-year average from tax returns. Verify with your lender which income sources they accept.