Common Questions About Debt-to-Income Ratios – Wells Fargo (2024)

FAQs

What do banks want your debt-to-income ratio to be? ›

Your particular ratio in addition to your overall monthly income and debt, and credit rating are weighed when you apply for a new credit account. Standards and guidelines vary, most lenders like to see a DTI below 35─36% but some mortgage lenders allow up to 43─45% DTI, with some FHA-insured loans allowing a 50% DTI.

35% or less is generally viewed as favorable, and your debt is manageable. You likely have money remaining after paying monthly bills. 36% to 49% means your DTI ratio is adequate, but you have room for improvement. Lenders might ask for other eligibility requirements.

Many of your monthly bills aren't included in your debt-to-income ratio because they're not debts. These typically include common household expenses such as: Utilities (garbage, electricity, cell phone/landline, gas, water) Cable and internet.

Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is all your monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income. This number is one way lenders measure your ability to manage the monthly payments to repay the money you plan to borrow. Different loan products and lenders will have different DTI limits.

Your DTI offers lenders a better understanding of your overall financial health. The ratio shows how much debt you have relative to your monthly income. It helps lenders assess your ability to cover the cost of a monthly mortgage on top of any existing debt.

Lenders, including anyone who might give you a mortgage or an auto loan, use DTI as a measure of creditworthiness. DTI is one factor that can help lenders decide whether you can repay the money you have borrowed or take on more debt. A good debt-to-income ratio is below 43%, and many lenders prefer 36% or below.

A general rule of thumb is to keep your overall debt-to-income ratio at or below 43%. This is seen as a wise target because it's the maximum debt-to-income ratio at which you're eligible for a Qualified Mortgage —a type of home loan designed to be stable and borrower-friendly.

This compares annual payments to service all consumer debts—excluding mortgage payments—divided by your net income. This should be 20% or less of net income. A ratio of 15% or lower is healthy, and 20% or higher is considered a warning sign.

The monthly debt payments included in your back-end DTI calculation typically include your proposed monthly mortgage payment, credit card debt, student loans, car loans, and alimony or child support. Don't include non-debt expenses like utilities, insurance or food.

How do credit cards impact DTI? ›

DTI is calculated by adding your fixed monthly payments on installment loans (mortgage, auto loans and personal loans, for example) to the minimum monthly payments on your revolving credit accounts (such as credit cards) and then dividing that number by your gross monthly income.

If you have a single family home outside of an HOA community, you'll have to take care of all the maintenance costs yourself. The good thing is, underwriters won't consider such costs when they underwrite your loan. But within an HOA, those dues will be counted in your debt-to-income ratio when you finance a home.

To calculate debt-to-income ratio, divide your total monthly debt obligations (including rent or mortgage, student loan payments, auto loan payments and credit card minimums) by your gross monthly income.

Having good credit and having the proper ratios can result in being approved for a mortgage. On the other hand, if the debt is on the upper side of an acceptable range, the lender may charge a higher interest rate for the addition risk of a marginal borrower.

This is also known as your DTI ratio. FHA guidelines call for borrowers to have a DTI ratio of 43% or less. They also indicate that a mortgage payment should not exceed 31% of a person's gross effective income. However, as with credit scores, lenders have some discretion here.

The debt ratio is defined as the ratio of total debt to total assets, expressed as a decimal or percentage. It can be interpreted as the proportion of a company's assets that are financed by debt.

According to the 28/36 rule, you should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on housing and no more than 36% on all debts. Housing costs can include: Your monthly mortgage payment. Homeowners Insurance. Private mortgage insurance.