{
  "slug": "debt-to-income-ratio-calculator",
  "title": "Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator",
  "heading": "Debt-to-Income (DTI) Ratio Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/debt-to-income-ratio-calculator",
  "summary": "Front-end and back-end DTI, plus the payment room left for a mortgage.",
  "description": "Underwriters look at two ratios: front-end DTI, which is housing cost against gross income, and back-end DTI, which adds every other monthly debt obligation. Most conventional programs want back-end DTI at or below roughly 43–50% depending on the loan and compensating factors, and the ratio uses gross income and minimum payments rather than what you actually spend. This calculator computes both ratios, shows how much monthly debt you would need to eliminate to reach a target, and reports the housing payment that would still fit inside that target — which is the number worth knowing before you shop.",
  "formula": "Front-end = Housing ÷ Gross Income. Back-end = (Housing + Other Debts) ÷ Gross Income.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-06",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=debt-to-income-ratio-calculator",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "income",
      "label": "Gross monthly income",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 7200,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 1,
      "max": 200000
    },
    {
      "id": "housing",
      "label": "Housing payment (PITI or rent)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2100,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 50000
    },
    {
      "id": "cards",
      "label": "Credit card minimums",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 210,
      "unit": "$/mo",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 20000
    },
    {
      "id": "auto",
      "label": "Auto loans / leases",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 480,
      "unit": "$/mo",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 20000
    },
    {
      "id": "student",
      "label": "Student loans",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 260,
      "unit": "$/mo",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 20000
    },
    {
      "id": "other",
      "label": "Other obligations (alimony, personal loans)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 0,
      "unit": "$/mo",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 20000
    },
    {
      "id": "target",
      "label": "Target back-end DTI",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 43,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 10,
      "max": 60
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "back",
      "label": "Back-end DTI",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "front",
      "label": "Front-end (housing) DTI",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "totalDebt",
      "label": "Total monthly obligations",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "reduceBy",
      "label": "Monthly debt to remove to hit target",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "housingRoom",
      "label": "Housing payment that fits your target",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Gross monthly income: 7200 $",
      "Housing payment (PITI or rent): 2100 $",
      "Credit card minimums: 210 $/mo",
      "Auto loans / leases: 480 $/mo",
      "Student loans: 260 $/mo",
      "Other obligations (alimony, personal loans): 0 $/mo",
      "Target back-end DTI: 43 %"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Back-end DTI: 42.4",
      "Front-end (housing) DTI: 29.2",
      "Total monthly obligations: $3,050",
      "Monthly debt to remove to hit target: $0",
      "Housing payment that fits your target: $2,146"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter gross monthly income ($).",
      "Enter housing payment (piti or rent) ($).",
      "Enter credit card minimums ($/mo).",
      "Enter auto loans / leases ($/mo).",
      "Enter student loans ($/mo).",
      "Enter other obligations (alimony, personal loans) ($/mo).",
      "Enter target back-end dti (%).",
      "Read your back-end dti on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "income": 4300,
        "housing": 1250,
        "cards": 130,
        "auto": 290,
        "student": 160,
        "other": 0,
        "target": 26
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "income": 7200,
        "housing": 2100,
        "cards": 210,
        "auto": 480,
        "student": 260,
        "other": 0,
        "target": 43
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "income": 11500,
        "housing": 3350,
        "cards": 340,
        "auto": 770,
        "student": 420,
        "other": 0,
        "target": 60
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Gross or net income?",
      "a": "Gross — income before taxes and deductions. Using net will understate your ratio compared with how a lender calculates it."
    },
    {
      "q": "Do utilities and groceries count?",
      "a": "No. DTI counts debt obligations that appear on your credit report plus housing, taxes, and insurance — not living expenses."
    },
    {
      "q": "What DTI do lenders want?",
      "a": "It depends on the program. Many conventional loans target 43% or below on the back end, with exceptions up to roughly 50% for strong files. Government programs differ."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does paying off a card help more than a car loan?",
      "a": "Often yes per dollar, because card minimums are small relative to balance. Removing an instalment payment entirely can help more if it is large."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/debt-consolidation-loan-calculator",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/credit-utilization-calculator"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/debt-to-income-ratio-calculator)"
}