Debt-to-Income (DTI) Calculator
Calculate your debt-to-income ratio for mortgage qualification — front-end DTI, back-end DTI, lender tier, and how much house you can afford. Free, instant, and private.
| Income Summary | |
| Gross Monthly Income | — |
| Debt Summary | |
| Total Housing (PITI + HOA) | — |
| Total Other Debts | — |
| Total Monthly Debts | — |
| Loan Capacity (43% DTI ceiling) | |
| Max Total Debt Capacity | — |
| Max Housing Capacity (28% front) | — |
| Available For More Housing | — |
What Is the Debt-to-Income (DTI) Ratio?
The debt-to-income ratio is the percentage of your gross monthly income that goes to debt payments, including the proposed mortgage. Lenders use it as the single most important metric for mortgage qualification because it predicts your ability to handle a new housing payment alongside existing obligations. Two DTI numbers matter: front-end DTI (housing payment alone divided by income) and back-end DTI (all debts including housing divided by income).
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), most conventional lenders cap back-end DTI at 43% under the Qualified Mortgage rule, though many will go to 45% or even 50% for strong borrowers (source: cfpb.gov). FHA loans allow up to 43-50% with compensating factors, while VA loans use a residual income test alongside DTI. Manual underwriting allows higher DTI in exceptional cases.
Lender DTI Tiers — What Loan You Qualify For
Lenders bucket DTI into approval tiers. Below 36% is the gold-standard zone — you'll get the best rates from any lender, including jumbo and conventional. The 36-43% range is the standard conventional/conforming zone — most QM loans approve here. The 43-50% zone is FHA territory and conventional with compensating factors (large reserves, high credit score, low LTV). Above 50% is non-QM territory only — bank-statement loans, asset-depletion loans, or rejection.
Front-end DTI matters too: the classic 28/36 rule says housing should be no more than 28% of gross income and total debts no more than 36%. Modern lenders relax this, but it remains the safest planning target. To plan housing affordability around income, also see our down payment calculator and PITI calculator.
What Counts as Debt for DTI?
Lenders include: minimum credit card payments (not balances), auto loans, student loans (even if deferred — lenders use 1% of balance or full payment), personal loans, alimony or child support paid out, and the proposed new mortgage payment. They exclude: utilities, cell phone, insurance, groceries, and 401(k) loans (in most cases). Self-employment income is averaged over 2 years using tax returns.
Some debts have special treatment. Student loans on income-driven repayment (IDR) plans use the IDR payment for FHA but require 1% of balance for conventional Fannie Mae loans. Co-signed loans count fully against you unless you can document 12 months of payments by the primary borrower. See Fannie Mae's selling guide for full DTI rules.
How to Lower Your DTI Quickly
The fastest ways to drop DTI are: pay down credit cards (every $100 of minimum payment removed adds back $100 of housing capacity), close auto loans (refi to extend term and lower monthly), increase income (overtime documented for 2+ years counts), or add a co-borrower. Loan amount also matters — buying a smaller home or putting more money down reduces PITI directly. PMI removal once you reach 20% equity also lowers monthly debt.
DTI Calculator: Loan-Program-Specific DTI Caps (2026)
The maximum DTI depends on the loan program — using the wrong target wastes time on offers you won't get. Conventional (Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac): 45% standard, 50% with strong compensating factors. FHA: 43% standard, 50%+ with manual underwriting and 740+ credit. VA: no hard cap, but 41% triggers a residual-income test per HUD Single-Family Handbook 4000.1. USDA Rural: 41% standard, 44% with compensating factors. Jumbo (non-QM): 38-43% typical, lender-specific. Bank-statement / asset-depletion (non-QM): 50%+. If your DTI is 47% and you're targeting a conventional loan, look at FHA or VA instead before paying down debt.
Front-End vs Back-End DTI — Which One Lenders Actually Use (2026)
Lenders compute two ratios from the same income, and most borrowers only know the back-end number. The front-end DTI (housing ratio) = proposed PITI ÷ gross monthly income; the back-end DTI (total ratio) = PITI + all other recurring debt ÷ gross monthly income. Per the CFPB DTI guidance and Fannie Mae's 2026 Selling Guide section B3-6, target ratios are:
- Conventional: front-end 28%, back-end 45% (up to 50% with compensating factors)
- FHA: front-end 31%, back-end 43% (up to 57% on manual underwrite with 580+ FICO)
- VA: no front-end cap; back-end 41% triggers a residual-income screen rather than a hard denial
- USDA Rural: front-end 29%, back-end 41% (44% with compensating factors)
- Jumbo (non-QM): front-end 28%, back-end 38–43% — most jumbo investors will not stretch beyond 43%
When this DTI calculator outputs a number above your target program's back-end cap, run the math without your highest-balance auto/credit-card payment to see whether paying ONE debt off unlocks qualification — that's often a $3K–$8K payoff rather than a wholesale lifestyle change. Updated 2026-06-26.
Last updated June 2026. Sources: cfpb.gov, fanniemae.com, hud.gov.