Debt-to-Income Ratio

Debt-to-Income Ratio

A debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is a tool we use to make sure mortgage borrowers can afford their mortgage payments, along with their other obligations. It is a good idea to calculate your DTI ratio before you apply for a mortgage, as we have a maximum allowed ratio. Your DTI ratio includes many debts you may not consider when you are deciding how much mortgage you can afford, and it will consider only your gross income.

There are two types of debt-to-income ratios to understand: the front-end ratio and the back-end ratio. Here is what you should know.

Your debt-to-income ratio includes:

• Housing costs
• Minimum monthly credit card payments
• Personal loan payments
• Alimony or child support
• Car loan payments
• Home equity loan payments
• Student loan payments

What Lenders Want to See with Your Debt-to-Income Ratio

We want your front-end ratio to be no more than 28 percent, while your back-end ratio (which includes credit card payments and other debts) should not exceed 36 percent. We may be willing to exceed these limits slightly, if you have excellent credit. If you get a government-backed mortgage, like a VA or FHA loan, guidelines are usually looser. You can have a front-end ratio of up to 29 percent and a back-end ratio of 41 percent with an FHA loan.

For your loan to be considered a Qualified Mortgage under the new mortgage rules of 2014, your DTI ratio cannot be higher than 43 percent.