About the Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator
Find your debt-to-income ratio, the figure lenders use to decide how much you can borrow. See your front-end (housing) and back-end (total debt) ratios and how they compare with common lending limits.
Key features
- Back-end (total) DTI ratio
- Front-end (housing) DTI ratio
- Rating from good to very high
- Separate fields for common debts
- Lender guidelines explained
- Any currency
How lenders see your finances
Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) tells lenders how much of your income already goes to debt payments. It's one of the main numbers used to approve mortgages, car loans and personal loans, and to decide how much you can borrow.
DTI formulas
Back-end DTI = All monthly debt payments ÷ Gross monthly income × 100
Front-end DTI = Housing payment ÷ Gross monthly income × 100
Common guidelines
| DTI | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| 36% or less | Good: most lenders are comfortable |
| 37–43% | Manageable: you may still qualify, sometimes at a higher rate |
| 44–49% | High: fewer loan options |
| 50% or more | Very high: focus on paying down debt |
The 28/36 rule is a classic mortgage guideline: no more than 28% of gross income on housing and 36% on all debts.
How to lower your DTI
- Pay down balances with the highest monthly payments, such as credit cards (see the credit card payoff calculator).
- Avoid new debt before applying for a mortgage.
- Increase income, for example with documented side income lenders can count.
- Refinance to lower monthly payments, if the total cost makes sense.
Related tools
Mortgage calculator, auto loan calculator, and salary to hourly calculator.
How to use the Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator
- Enter your numbers in the fields above. Units and options can be changed at any time.
- The result updates instantly as you type; there's no calculate button to press.
- Check the breakdown under the main result for the details behind the number.
- Adjust the inputs to compare scenarios, for example a different rate or term.