Debt-to-income (DTI) calculator

Divide your monthly payments by your gross monthly income to see front-end and back-end ratios. Not sure what your housing payment would be? Use the payment calculator first.

Calculate front-end and back-end DTI

Before taxes.
Principal, interest, taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance, and HOA.
Only recurring debts that show on a credit report, plus court-ordered child support, alimony, or separate maintenance. Not living expenses such as a phone, utilities, or insurance. Blank counts as $0.

What goes in “other monthly debt payments”

Include (the required monthly payment)

  • Credit card and store card minimum payments (if no minimum is reported or documented, Fannie Mae has the lender use 5% of the balance)
  • Auto loans and auto leases
  • Student loans (each program has its own rule when the reported payment is $0 or deferred)
  • Personal loans, other installment loans, and timeshares
  • Payments on other mortgages and home equity lines of credit
  • Court-ordered child support, alimony, and separate maintenance
  • Other required payments such as garnishments or an IRS installment agreement

Don’t include (living expenses, not debts)

  • Cell phone, internet, cable, streaming, and other subscriptions
  • Utilities
  • Car, health, and life insurance (the new home’s insurance goes in the housing payment instead)
  • Groceries, gas, and commuting costs
  • Child care (see the VA note below)
  • Taxes withheld from pay and 401(k) contributions
  • Medical collections

FHA’s handbook lists utilities, child care, commuting costs, insurance other than property insurance, medical collections, taxes that aren’t delinquent, and 401(k) contributions among obligations not considered debt. Phone, internet, and streaming bills are service bills. If a payment plan for a phone or anything else shows on your credit report as an installment account, it counts like any other installment debt.

Installment debts with only a few payments left may be left out: FHA and Fannie Mae both use a 10-month test, with different conditions. VA handles child care, job-related costs, and an estimate for maintenance and utilities in its separate loan analysis rather than as debts.

Programs count some debts differently, especially student loans and support payments: see how student loans are counted and child support and alimony.

Source: Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-6-02, Debt-to-Income Ratios (04/02/2025); Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-6-05, Monthly Debt Obligations (08/05/2026); HUD Handbook 4000.1, II.A.4.b.iv(A) General Liabilities and Debts and II.A.4.b.iv(Q) Obligations Not Considered Debt (TOTAL); VA Pamphlet 26-7 (VA Lenders Handbook), Chapter 4: Topic 3.c (other deductions from income), Topic 5.c (analysis of debts and obligations), Topic 9.b (maintenance and utilities) (KnowVA article 554400000330850, updated Aug 26, 2026) · checked Nov 10, 2026

Published guideline figures (reference only)

These are what each rulebook publishes. They don’t tell you whether a lender will make a loan: automated systems weigh the whole file, and lenders can set stricter limits.

ProgramPublished figures (front / back)Source
FHA, manual underwritingScore 500–579 or none: 31 / 43 (33 / 45 energy-efficient). Score 580+: 31 / 43 with no compensating factor (33 / 45 for an energy-efficient home); 37 / 47 with one; 40 / 40 with no discretionary debt; 40 / 50 with two.Source: HUD Handbook 4000.1, II.A.5 (manual underwriting ratios and compensating factors) · checked Nov 9, 2026
USDA29 / 41 of repayment income; up to 32 / 44 with a ratio waiver (scores 680+ and a compensating factor).Source: USDA Handbook HB-1-3555, Chapter 11 (rev 11-25-25), sections 11.2–11.3 · checked Nov 9, 2026
Fannie MaeManual: 36%, up to 45% with credit score and reserves per the Eligibility Matrix. DU: 50% maximum.Source: Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-6-02, Debt-to-Income Ratios (04/02/2025) · checked Nov 10, 2026
Freddie MacManual: 36% guideline; above 36% needs documented justification; 45% maximum. Loan Product Advisor: no stated numeric maximum.Source: Freddie Mac Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide, Section 5401.2, Monthly debt payment-to-income (DTI) ratio (effective 08/05/2026) · checked Nov 9, 2026
VA41% guide, secondary to residual income.Source: VA Pamphlet 26-7 (VA Lenders Handbook), Chapter 4, Topic 10.b Debt-to-Income Ratio (KnowVA article 554400000330850, updated Aug 26, 2026); 38 CFR 36.4340 (VA underwriting standards), paragraphs (c), (d), (f)(4), (f)(5), and (g)(9) (eCFR, up to date as of Nov 6, 2026) · checked Nov 9, 2026

Child support or alimony? Support you pay goes in other monthly debts, though some programs let alimony be subtracted from income instead. Support you receive counts toward income only with the documents and history each program requires. See Child support and alimony for each program’s rules side by side.

More detail, including how student loans are counted: DTI and LTV explained.

Guidelines change; confirm with a licensed lender.