What is a Debt-to-Income Ratio?
If you’ve been exploring mortgage loans recently, you’ve likely encountered the term “debt-to-income ratios” (DTI). This ratio is crucial in the eyes of lenders when evaluating your eligibility for personal or conventional loans.
Debt-to-income ratios represent the percentage of your monthly gross income (pre-tax) allocated to servicing monthly debt obligations. These obligations encompass various payments, including mortgage payments, rent, insurance premiums (like homeowners insurance), outstanding credit card bills, and other personal loans.
Lenders assess two types of ratios: front-end and back-end. The front-end ratio indicates the proportion of your income allocated to housing expenses, while the back-end ratio encompasses all recurring total monthly debt payments, excluding living expenses such as food and utilities.
This guide will focus on how to calculate debt to income ratio, particularly the back-end ratio.
Mastering Debt-to-Income Ratios
To calculate your back-end debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, you must first determine your gross monthly income before taxes, accounting for all income sources.
Next, tally your monthly payments, which can be easily determined if you’ve already created a budget or used a free debt management tool. Ensure you include credit card bills, student loans, car loans, rent or mortgage payments, insurance premiums, child support, personal loans, and other debt payments.
Finally, to compute your debt-to-income ratio, divide your total monthly debt payments by your monthly gross income. To obtain a percentage, shift the decimal point over to the right twice.
Here’s an example of how to calculate a monthly debt-to-income ratio:
Monthly debt total:
– Mortgage payment: $1,100
– Car loan payment: $300
– Credit card monthly payment: $200
Total monthly debt payments = $1,600
Monthly gross income:
– Primary job: $3,000
– Part-time job: $1,200
Total monthly gross income = $4,200
Debt-to-income (DTI) calculation:
1. Divide your total debt by your total income:
$1,600 / $4,200 = 0.3809
2. Multiply the result by 100 to find your percentage:
0.3809 x 100 = 38.09
3. The calculated debt ratio is 38.09%.
What’s Considered a Good Debt-to-Income Percentage?
Aim for an Optimal DTI Range
Typically, an acceptable DTI ratio should be at or below 36%. Many lenders, especially mortgage lenders, require a debt ratio of 36% or less. In the example provided above, the debt ratio of 38% is slightly higher. However, certain loans may allow for higher DTIs.
Why Does Your Debt-to-Income Percentage Matter?
Understanding DTI’s Impact on Financial Health
Your DTI serves as a reflection of your financial health. It offers insights into your current financial standing and aids in determining comfortable debt levels, influencing whether you should apply for additional credit.
Mortgage lenders aren’t the sole users of this metric. Lenders offering credit cards or auto loans may also utilize your DTI to assess lending risk. Excessive debt may hinder loan approval.
How Does Debt-to-Income Ratio Affect Credit Scores?
DTI Ratio and Credit Scores
Your income doesn’t impact your credit score directly. Consequently, your DTI doesn’t affect your credit score either.
However, 30% of your credit score is based on your credit utilization rate or the amount available on your current line of credit. To maintain a good credit score, aim for a utilization rate of 30% or lower, implying minimal debt and consistent payments.
Strategies to Lower DTI Ratio
Efficiently Lower Your DTI
The only effective means to reduce your DTI ratio is by paying down debts or increasing your income. Understanding your accurately calculated ratio enables you to assess your debts and determine manageable levels.
Avoid temporary fixes like forbearance on student loans or excessive store credit card applications, as they only delay debt repayment without addressing the root cause.
What’s the Ideal Back-End Debt-to-Income (DTI) Ratio?
Aiming for an Optimal DTI Ratio for Lenders
Ideally, aim for the lowest ratio possible in the long term.
Here’s a breakdown of recommended DTI ranges:
– 36% or less: Ideal
– 37%-42%: Acceptable
– 43%: Lenders typically set a maximum, with some exceptions, up to 45%
– 50% and up: FHA allows DTIs below 50%, with exceptions for FHA or VA mortgages
For mortgage or auto loans, it’s advisable to keep your back-end DTI ratio below 43%, with 35% or less considered “ideal.”
Seeking Assistance to Lower Your DTI Ratio?
Leverage Expert Help for Improved DTI
Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio serves as a critical tool in assessing your financial situation. If you’re struggling to reduce your ratio or seeking financial guidance, our expert coaches are available to assist you. Contact us today to learn more about how our Debt Management Plans can help you regain control of your monthly debt obligations.
