DTI Ratio Calculator
Enter your income and monthly debt obligations below.
What is Debt-to-Income (DTI) Ratio?
Your Debt-to-Income (DTI) ratio is a personal finance measure that compares an individual's monthly debt payment to their monthly gross income. It is one of the primary metrics lenders use to determine your ability to manage monthly payments and repay the money you plan to borrow.
Essentially, it tells lenders how much of your income is already spoken for before you even take on a new loan. A lower DTI indicates a good balance between debt and income.
How the DTI Formula Works
The calculation is straightforward but requires accuracy regarding your monthly obligations. The formula used by our calculator is:
DTI = (Total Monthly Debt Payments / Gross Monthly Income) x 100
Example Calculation:
Imagine you earn $60,000 annually ($5,000 gross per month).
You pay $1,500 for rent, $400 for a car loan, and $100 for credit cards.
- Total Monthly Debt = $1,500 + $400 + $100 = $2,000
- Gross Monthly Income = $5,000
- DTI = ($2,000 / $5,000) x 100 = 40%
Interpreting Your Score
While requirements vary by lender and loan type (FHA vs. Conventional), here are general guidelines:
- 36% or less: This is the ideal range. You have plenty of income relative to your debt. Lenders view you as a low-risk borrower.
- 36% to 43%: This is often the upper limit for a Qualified Mortgage. You may still get approved, but you might need other compensating factors like a high credit score or larger down payment.
- Above 43%: It becomes significantly harder to obtain a mortgage. Lenders may worry that adding a new payment will cause financial distress.
How to Lower Your DTI
If your ratio is higher than desired, you have two main levers to pull:
- Reduce Monthly Debt: Pay off small balances entirely (like credit cards) to eliminate that monthly minimum payment obligation. Refinancing high-interest loans to lower the monthly payment can also help.
- Increase Income: While harder to achieve immediately, raising your gross annual income through a raise, side hustle, or co-borrower can drastically improve your ratio.