However, for auto loans, lenders usually prefer a debt-to-income ratio below 36%. The minimum income necessary to qualify for an auto loan may vary, but most lenders prefer an applicant to have at least $1,500 to $2,000 in monthly income before taxes.
Keep Your Car Payment Under 15% of Your Net Income
While the 20/4/7 rule is a great way to keep your monthly car payments reasonable, it might not work for everyone. Another common rule of thumb when calculating your maximum car payment is to keep it to no more than 15% of your monthly take-home pay.
Example: A six year fixed-rate loan for a $25,000 new car, with 20% down, requires a $20,000 loan. Based on a simple interest rate of 3.4% and a loan fee of $200, this loan would have 72 monthly payments of $310.54 each and an annual percentage rate (APR) of 3.74%.
A target credit score of 661 or above should get you a new-car loan with an annual percentage rate of around 6.7% or better, or a used-car loan around 9.63% or lower. Superprime: 781-850. 5.08%. 7.41%.
Gross income is what you earn before taxes and other deductions. Since auto lenders consider your back-end DTI, that's what we'll focus on. You'll need two things to calculate your back-end DTI: your total monthly debt payments and your gross income.
Most borrowers need a FICO score of at least 600 to get a competitive rate on an auto loan. If you have a low credit score, you may still qualify – but you should consider building your score before you start searching for loans.
How much would a $30,000 car cost per month? This all depends on the sales tax, the down payment, the interest rate and the length of the loan. But just as a ballpark estimate, assuming $3,000 down, an interest rate of 5.8% and a 60-month loan, the monthly payment would be about $520.
NerdWallet recommends spending no more than 10% of your take-home pay on your monthly auto loan payment. So if your after-tax pay each month is $3,000, you could afford a $300 car payment. Check if you can really afford the payment by depositing that amount into a savings account for a few months.
When financing a car, lenders require documentation that proves your identity, income, residency, and insurance coverage. You can also expect to provide your Social Security number and vehicle information.
Those will become part of your budget. The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.
Financial experts recommend that your monthly car payment be around 10% to 15% of your monthly take-home pay. Your total monthly car expenses, including your car payment, insurance, maintenance, and gas, should not exceed 20% of your monthly income.
But as a rule of thumb, your car payment should not exceed 15% of your post-tax monthly pay. For example, if after taxes, you make the U.S. median income of $37,773, you could shop for a car that costs up to $472 per month.
Common forms of proof of income include pay stubs, tax return documents, and bank statements. Paperless verification methods are also available to provide more accurate and efficient income data collection. Specific proof of income requirements can vary from one lender to the next.
An auto lender considers several factors – including your credit score, your credit history, income, debts, and down payment – when deciding what interest rate to offer you. Auto lenders will generally consider a number of factors when they're determining the interest rate and loan terms to offer you.
Check Your Credit Score
However, when applying for a larger amount of $20,000 and up, you may need a higher score. A score of around 670 or more will increase your chances of being approved for a larger loan amount at the lowest rates available.
How much should you put down on a car? A down payment between 10 to 20 percent of the vehicle price is the general recommendation.
The monthly payment on a $3,000 personal loan will depend on the loan term and the interest rate. For example, the monthly payment on a two-year $3,000 loan with an annual percentage rate (APR) of 12% would be $141.22. The monthly payment on a $3,000 loan with a six-year term and an APR of 12% would be $58.65.
For example, the interest on a $30,000, 36-month loan at 6% is $2,856. The same loan ($30,000 at 6%) paid back over 72 months would cost $5,797 in interest. Even small changes in your rate can impact how much total interest amount you pay overall.
A person making $60,000 per year can afford about a $40,000 car based on calculating 15% of their monthly take-home pay and a 20% down payment on the car of $7,900. However, every person's finances are different and you might find that a car payment of approximately $600 per month is not affordable for you.
Your credit score is a major factor in whether you'll be approved for a car loan. Some lenders use specialized credit scores, such as a FICO Auto Score. In general, you'll need at least prime credit, meaning a credit score of 661 or up, to get a loan at a good interest rate.
What is the highest credit score possible? To start off: No, it's not possible to have a 900 credit score in the United States. In some countries that use other models, like Canada, people could have a score of 900. The current scoring models in the U.S. have a maximum of 850.
It's a good idea to check your credit scores and reports before you apply for a car loan. If you have weaker credit, you'll probably end up with higher interest rates than if you had better credit. You'll have to decide whether to proceed with getting a car loan, or wait and work to improve your credit first.