Debt-to-Income (DTI) Calculator
100% in your browser — nothing is uploadedBefore taxes — total household income that would be on the application
Proposed mortgage incl. principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA (PITI)
Car loans, student loans, credit-card minimums, personal loans, child support
Back-end DTI (all debt)
35.0%
Strong — within the classic 36% limit
Rules of thumb lenders use
The "28/36 rule": housing under 28%, total debt under 36%. Most conventional loans cap back-end DTI near 43% (the federal qualified-mortgage threshold); FHA and some lenders stretch toward 50% with strong credit or reserves.
Your debt-to-income ratio — monthly debt payments divided by gross monthly income — is the number lenders scrutinize most when deciding whether to approve a mortgage and at what rate. This calculator shows both ratios lenders use: front-end (just your housing payment) and back-end (all your monthly debt), and tells you how they stack up against standard limits.
Knowing your DTI before you apply is powerful: it tells you whether to pay down a card first, how much house you can realistically finance, and whether you're near the thresholds where rates and approval odds change. It's the single most useful number to check before talking to a lender.
How to use the debt-to-income (dti) calculator
- Enter your gross monthly income (before taxes).
- Enter your proposed total housing payment (PITI: principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA).
- Enter your other monthly debt payments (car, student loans, card minimums).
- Read your front-end and back-end ratios against the lender guidelines shown.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between front-end and back-end DTI?
Front-end DTI counts only your housing payment against income. Back-end DTI counts all recurring debt — housing plus car loans, student loans, and minimum credit-card payments. Lenders weigh the back-end ratio most heavily.
What DTI do I need to qualify for a mortgage?
The classic guideline is the 28/36 rule: housing under 28%, total debt under 36%. Most conventional loans accept back-end DTI up to 43% (the federal qualified-mortgage line), and FHA or strong applicants can sometimes reach ~50% with compensating factors like reserves or high credit.
Which debts count toward DTI?
Recurring monthly obligations: mortgage/rent, car loans, student loans, minimum credit-card payments, personal loans, and court-ordered payments like child support. Utilities, groceries, and insurance premiums (other than those in your housing payment) generally don't count.
How can I lower my DTI quickly?
Pay off or pay down the debts with the highest minimum payments (not necessarily the highest balances), avoid new loans before applying, and — where it makes sense — increase documented income. Even retiring one small loan can move the ratio.