Find your DTI ratio — the number lenders use to decide how much you can borrow for a mortgage, auto loan, or personal loan.
Include minimum payments on car loans, student loans, credit cards, and personal loans. Don't include groceries, utilities, or other living expenses.
Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is your monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income, shown as a percentage. Gross income means your pay before taxes and other deductions. The calculator shows two versions of the ratio. Front-end DTI divides just your housing payment by your income. Back-end DTI divides all your monthly debt payments, housing plus car loans, student loans, credit cards, and anything else recurring, by that same income. Lenders typically care most about back-end DTI when deciding how much to lend you.
Beyond the ratio itself, the tool shows how much room you have before you reach the 36% and 43% benchmarks, the highest housing payment that fits the common 28/36 guideline, and the income you would need for a 36% ratio. These extra numbers turn the percentage into something you can act on.
When you apply for a mortgage, lenders replace your current rent with the proposed new housing payment. Use the payment you expect to have after you buy, and estimate it with the mortgage calculator.
A related guideline is the 28/36 rule: keep your housing payment at or below 28% of your gross income and your total debt at or below 36%. These are general benchmarks, not universal rules. Different loan programs (conventional, FHA, VA) set their own limits, and a strong credit score or large down payment can offset a higher DTI.
Take a household earning $6,000 a month with a $1,500 housing payment and $500 in other debt (car loan, credit cards). Front-end DTI is $1,500 / $6,000 = 25%. Back-end DTI is ($1,500 + $500) / $6,000 = 33.3%, comfortably in the healthy range most lenders look for.
The extra numbers show the room this household has. Staying at 36% allows $2,160 of total debt, so there is $160 of room. The 43% benchmark allows $2,580, so there is $580 of room. Under the 28/36 rule, the highest housing payment that fits is $1,660, because the lower of 28% of income ($1,680) and 36% of income minus other debt ($2,160 − $500 = $1,660) applies.
If that same household took on a $400 car loan, total debt would rise to $2,400 and back-end DTI would jump to 40%. That is $240 over the 36% mark and just under the 43% benchmark, right at the edge of what many conventional lenders accept.
Now consider someone earning $4,500 a month, paying $1,400 for housing and $900 on other debt, for example a $450 car loan, a $250 student loan, and $200 in credit card minimums. Total debt is $2,300, so back-end DTI is 51.1%, which the calculator rates as high. Front-end DTI is 31.1%, above the 28% guideline.
Two changes make a real difference. Paying off the credit cards removes $200 a month and lowers back-end DTI to 46.7%. If income also rises to $5,000, the ratio falls to 42.0%. That moves this person from a high rating to the manageable range without touching the car loan or student loan.
Landlords do not usually calculate a full DTI, but they often check income against rent. A common rule of thumb is that your gross monthly income should be about three times the monthly rent, which means rent takes roughly a third of your income. For a $1,500 rent, that means an income of about $4,500 a month. If you are weighing renting against buying, try the rent vs. buy calculator.
Once you know your DTI, use the House Affordability Calculator to translate it into a home price, and the budget calculator to check that the payment fits your everyday spending. If debt is the main obstacle to buying, read whether to pay off debt before buying a house. For the whole process step by step, see how much house you can afford. Shopping for a car instead? Read what DTI you need for a car loan.
Does DTI include taxes and insurance?
For mortgage purposes, "housing payment" usually means the full PITI, principal, interest, taxes, and insurance, not just principal and interest. Include your best estimate of all four here, plus any HOA dues.
Is a lower DTI always better?
For loan approval purposes, yes. A lower DTI generally means better approval odds and terms. Outside of lending, a very low DTI simply reflects low debt relative to income, which is generally a sign of financial flexibility.
What's the difference between front-end and back-end DTI?
Front-end DTI only counts your housing payment against your income. Back-end DTI adds in every other recurring debt payment as well. Lenders generally weigh back-end DTI more heavily since it reflects your full debt load, not just housing.
Can I lower my DTI without paying off debt?
Yes. Increasing your gross income (a raise, a side income, adding a co-borrower) lowers DTI just as effectively as paying down balances, since DTI is a ratio of both numbers. Refinancing a loan to a lower monthly payment can also help, even if the total balance owed doesn't change.
Does checking my DTI affect my credit score?
No. This calculator only uses numbers you enter yourself, so it has no effect on your credit. DTI itself isn't part of your credit score either. It's a separate figure lenders calculate when you apply for financing.
Is DTI calculated on gross or net income?
Gross income, which is your pay before taxes and deductions. Using your take-home pay would make the ratio look higher than the one a lender calculates, so enter the pre-tax figure from your pay stub or offer letter.
What DTI do I need to qualify for a mortgage?
It depends on the lender and loan program. Many lenders prefer a back-end DTI of 36% or lower and use 43% as a rough upper benchmark, while some programs approve higher ratios when you have strong credit, savings, or a large down payment. Ask lenders about the limits for the loan type you want.
Do lenders count my current rent when I apply for a mortgage?
No. For a mortgage application, lenders look at the new housing payment you would have after buying, including principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and any HOA dues, and they count your other debts as usual. Your current rent is not added on top.