What is my DTI ratio?
Enter your monthly housing payment, your other monthly debt payments and your gross monthly income to see your debt-to-income ratio.
- Your debt-to-income ratio
- 34.6%
Debt payments of $2,250.00 a month on a gross monthly income of $6,500.00 give a debt-to-income ratio of 34.6%.
Below 36%
- Below 36%
- 36% to 45%
- 45% to 50%
- 50% or more
- Housing ratio (front-end)
- 27.7%
- All debt payments a month
- $2,250.00
- Room left at 36%Negative means over 36%
- $90.00
Your debt-to-income ratio: 34.6%. Debt payments of $2,250.00 a month on a gross monthly income of $6,500.00 give a debt-to-income ratio of 34.6%.
How does my ratio compare with mortgage limits?
The results are estimates for information only. They are not financial, tax, or legal advice. Check the numbers with your lender or a qualified professional before you decide. Terms of use
How to calculate
Computes the debt-to-income ratio (monthly debt payments ÷ gross monthly income) and the housing ratio, or the income or payment that gives a target ratio.
Example with the default inputs (Housing payment a month $1,800.00, Other debt payments a month $450.00, Gross monthly income $6,500.00): Debt payments of $2,250.00 a month on a gross monthly income of $6,500.00 give a debt-to-income ratio of 34.6%.
Formula: DTI = (housing payment + other monthly debt payments) ÷ gross monthly income × 100; housing ratio = housing payment ÷ gross monthly income × 100.
- All amounts are per month. Income is gross: before tax and deductions.
- Debt payments are the required monthly payments (minimum credit card payments, not balances). Living costs such as food, utilities and phone bills are not debts.
- The bands are Fannie Mae’s maximum total ratios for a conventional mortgage (36% manually underwritten, up to 45% with credit score and reserve requirements, 50% through Desktop Underwriter). Other lenders and loan types use other limits.
Worked examples
Each example is checked against the calculator on every build.
- Housing payment a month $1,500.00, Other debt payments a month $500.00, Gross monthly income $6,000.00 gives Debt-to-income ratio 33.333333%, Housing ratio (front-end) 25%, All debt payments a month $2,000.00, Room left at 36% $160.00.Source: CFPB, What is a debt-to-income ratio?: $2,000 of monthly debt on $6,000 gross monthly income is a DTI of 33%; hand calculation in content.mdx
- Housing payment a month $2,200.00, Other debt payments a month $1,400.00, Gross monthly income $8,000.00 gives Debt-to-income ratio 45%, Housing ratio (front-end) 27.5%, Room left at 36% -$720.00.Source: hand calculation in content.mdx: 3,600 ÷ 8,000 × 100 = 45%; 0.36 × 8,000 − 3,600 = −720
- Housing payment a month $1,200.00, Other debt payments a month $600.00, Debt-to-income ratio 36% gives Gross monthly income $5,000.00.Source: hand calculation in content.mdx: income = 1,800 ÷ 0.36 = 5,000
- Other debt payments a month $700.00, Gross monthly income $7,500.00, Debt-to-income ratio 43% gives Housing payment a month $2,525.00.Source: hand calculation in content.mdx: housing = 0.43 × 7,500 − 700 = 3,225 − 700 = 2,525
- Housing payment a month $1,500.00, Gross monthly income $6,000.00, Debt-to-income ratio 40% gives Other debt payments a month $900.00.Source: hand calculation in content.mdx: other = 0.40 × 6,000 − 1,500 = 900
How the debt-to-income ratio is worked out
DTI = (H + O) ÷ I × 100
- H is the monthly housing payment: rent, or the mortgage payment with property tax, home insurance and HOA dues.
- O is the other monthly debt payments: car and student loans, minimum credit card payments, personal loans, child support.
- I is gross monthly income, before tax.
The calculator also shows:
- the housing (front-end) ratio: H ÷ I × 100
- all debt payments: H + O
- room left at 36%: 0.36 × I − (H + O). A negative number is how far over 36% the payments are.
Fill in any three of housing payment, other debt payments, income and ratio, and the calculator finds the fourth:
- I = (H + O) ÷ (DTI ÷ 100)
- H = DTI ÷ 100 × I − O
- O = DTI ÷ 100 × I − H
There is no answer when a solved payment would be below $0, or when solving for income with no debt payments at all.
Limits
Payments are from $0 to $100,000,000 a month; income is more than $0 and at most $100,000,000; the ratio is more than 0% and at most 1,000%. A solved value outside these limits has no answer.
The bands
The chart marks Fannie Mae's maximum total ratios for a conventional mortgage (Selling Guide B3-6-02). A band includes its lower edge and stops just under its upper edge.
- Below 36%: within the limit for a manually underwritten loan.
- 36% to under 45%: allowed manually (up to 45%) only with credit score and reserve requirements.
- 45% to under 50%: allowed only through Desktop Underwriter (up to 50%).
- 50% or more: 50% is the Desktop Underwriter maximum.
Other lenders and loan types (FHA, VA, car loans, rentals) set their own limits.
Worked examples by hand
The CFPB example. Debts = 1,500 + 100 + 400 = $2,000. DTI = 2,000 ÷ 6,000 × 100 = 33.3%. Housing ratio = 1,500 ÷ 6,000 × 100 = 25%. Room at 36% = 0.36 × 6,000 − 2,000 = $160.
$2,200 housing, $1,400 other, $8,000 income. DTI = 3,600 ÷ 8,000 × 100 = 45%. Housing ratio = 2,200 ÷ 8,000 × 100 = 27.5%. Room at 36% = 2,880 − 3,600 = −$720.
The income for 36% with $1,200 housing and $600 other. I = 1,800 ÷ 0.36 = $5,000 a month.
The housing payment that keeps 43% on $7,500 with $700 other. H = 0.43 × 7,500 − 700 = 3,225 − 700 = $2,525.
The other debt payments that reach 40% with $1,500 housing on $6,000. O = 0.40 × 6,000 − 1,500 = 2,400 − 1,500 = $900.
Other questions people ask
How do I calculate my debt-to-income ratio?
Add up your monthly debt payments, divide by your gross monthly income, and multiply by 100. The CFPB example: a $1,500 mortgage payment, a $100 car loan and $400 of other debts make $2,000 a month; on a gross income of $6,000 a month the ratio is 2,000 ÷ 6,000 = 33%.
What counts as debt?
Required monthly payments: the housing payment (rent, or mortgage with property tax, home insurance and HOA dues), car and other installment loans, student loans, minimum credit card payments, lease payments, and alimony or child support. That is the list in Fannie Mae's guide; everyday bills such as groceries, utilities and phone are not on it.
What is a good debt-to-income ratio?
Lower is better, and limits depend on the lender and loan. For a conventional mortgage, Fannie Mae allows at most 36% when a loan is manually underwritten, up to 45% with a strong credit score and savings reserves, and up to 50% through its automated Desktop Underwriter system.
What is the difference between front-end and back-end DTI?
The front-end (housing) ratio counts only the housing payment. The back-end ratio counts all debt payments, including housing. This calculator shows both; lenders usually mean the back-end ratio when they say DTI.
Should I use gross or net income?
Gross: your income before tax and other deductions. The CFPB defines DTI as all monthly debt payments divided by gross monthly income.
How much income do I need for a target ratio?
Enter your debt payments and the target ratio, and leave income empty. Income = debt payments ÷ (target ÷ 100). With $1,800 of monthly debt payments, a 36% ratio needs $1,800 ÷ 0.36 = $5,000 a month.