Debt-to-Income Calculator
Enter your income and monthly debts to see your front-end and back-end DTI ratio — the same math mortgage and loan underwriters use to judge affordability.
Your Income & Housing
Other Monthly Debt Payments
How debt-to-income (DTI) ratio works
Debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, compares how much you owe every month to how much you earn. Lenders — especially mortgage underwriters — use it as a core affordability check: it answers the question "if you take on this new payment, will you realistically be able to keep up with all your obligations?" A lower DTI signals more breathing room in your budget and a lower risk of default.
Front-end vs. back-end DTI
Front-end DTI only counts your housing payment — rent or mortgage principal, interest, property taxes, and homeowners insurance — divided by your gross monthly income. Back-end DTI is the broader, more commonly used figure: it adds every other recurring debt payment (credit cards, auto loans, student loans, personal loans, child support, etc.) on top of housing, divided by gross income.
Back-end DTI = (Housing Payment + Other Monthly Debt) ÷ Gross Monthly Income × 100
What lenders consider a good DTI
| Back-end DTI | What it typically means |
|---|---|
| 36% or below | Healthy — generally qualifies for most conventional loan products |
| 37% – 43% | Manageable, but approaching most lenders' upper limits |
| Above 43% | High — exceeds the Qualified Mortgage (QM) threshold used by many lenders, which can limit approval options |
Tips to lower your DTI
- Pay down revolving balances — even partial paydown reduces your minimum payment and your DTI.
- Avoid new debt in the months before applying for a mortgage or major loan.
- Consolidate high-payment debts into a single lower monthly payment — see the Debt Consolidation Calculator.
- Increase income through a raise, side income, or a co-borrower, if applicable.
- Total up every obligation first with the Monthly Debt Payment Calculator so nothing is missed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most lenders consider a back-end DTI of 36% or lower healthy. A DTI between 37% and 43% is generally still workable but leaves less room for approval. Above 43%, many conventional and qualified mortgage loans become difficult to get.
Front-end DTI only counts your housing payment (rent or mortgage, including taxes and insurance) divided by gross monthly income. Back-end DTI counts your housing payment plus all other monthly debt obligations — credit cards, auto loans, student loans, and personal loans — divided by gross monthly income.
No. Debt-to-income ratio is not part of your credit score calculation. It is a separate metric lenders use during underwriting to judge whether you can afford new debt payments based on your income.
You can lower your DTI by paying down existing debt balances, avoiding new debt before a major loan application, increasing your income, or refinancing/consolidating debt into a lower monthly payment.