For homeowners, the CFPB recommends keeping your DTI ratio for all debts—including your monthly mortgage payment—at 36% or less.
What is an ideal debt-to-income ratio? Lenders typically say the ideal front-end ratio should be no more than 28 percent, and the back-end ratio, including all expenses, should be 36 percent or lower.
Ideal debt-to-income ratio for a mortgage
Lenders generally look for the ideal front-end ratio to be no more than 28 percent, and the back-end ratio, including all monthly debts, to be no higher than 36 percent.
Your ratio shows that if you manage your daily expenses well, you should be able to pay off your debts without worry or penalty. A debt ratio between 30% and 36% is also considered good.
In general, you want to aim for a debt-to-income ratio around 36 percent or less but no higher than 43 percent. Here's how lenders typically view DTI: 36% DTI or lower: Excellent. 43% DTI: Good.
1. In 2020, the average American's debt payments made up 8.69% of their income. To put this into perspective, the average American allocates almost 9% of their monthly income to debt payments, which is a drop from 9.69% in Q2 2019.
A Critical Number For Homebuyers
One way to decide how much of your income should go toward your mortgage is to use the 28/36 rule. According to this rule, your mortgage payment shouldn't be more than 28% of your monthly pre-tax income and 36% of your total debt. This is also known as the debt-to-income (DTI) ratio.
Back-end DTIs compare gross income to all monthly debt payments, including housing, credit cards, automobile loans, student loans and any other type of debt.
The median household income hit $79,900 in the first quarter of 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. That's almost $35,000 more than it was in 2000. But the typical American household now carries an average debt of $145,000.
DTI is less than 36%: Your debt is likely manageable, relative to your income. You shouldn't have trouble accessing new lines of credit. DTI is 36% to 42%: This level of debt could cause lenders concern, and you may have trouble borrowing money.
According to Brown, you should spend between 28% to 36% of your take-home income on your housing payment. If you make $70,000 a year, your monthly take-home pay, including tax deductions, will be approximately $4,530.
Simply put, it is the percentage of your monthly pre-tax income you must spend on your monthly debt payments plus the projected payment on the new home loan. Generally, the lower your debt-to-income ratio is, the more likely you are to qualify for a mortgage.
If your DTI is 35% or less, you're doing well. Your repayments are manageable, and you may have room for another financial obligation. If you have a DTI ratio between 36% and 49%, you're not doing too badly—but you have room to improve.
Total consumer debt in the U.S as of the first quarter of 2022 is $15.84 trillion. Auto and student loans doubled after the Great Recession. The average consumer debt sits at $92,727. Generation X carries the most consumer debt out of any generation, at $140,643 on average.
50 years or older = $96,984
Baby boomers have an average debt of $96,984, according to Experian. Mortgages, credit card bills, and auto loans are the three main debt sources for those in this age group. Although this is less than the average debt of those 35—49, it could still spell trouble for two primary reasons.
Here's the average debt balances by age group: Gen Z (ages 18 to 23): $9,593. Millennials (ages 24 to 39): $78,396. Gen X (ages 40 to 55): $135,841.
Debt-to-credit and debt-to-income ratios can help lenders assess your creditworthiness. Your debt-to-credit ratio may impact your credit scores, while debt-to-income ratios do not. Lenders and creditors prefer to see a lower debt-to-credit ratio when you're applying for credit.
What happens if my debt-to-income ratio is too high? Borrowers with a higher DTI will have difficulty getting approved for a home loan. Lenders want to know that you can afford your monthly mortgage payments, and having too much debt can be a sign that you might miss a payment or default on the loan.
Monthly Payments Not Included in the Debt-to-Income Formula
Paid television (cable, satellite, streaming) and internet services. Car insurance. Health insurance and other medical bills. Cell phone services.
Senator Elizabeth Warren popularized the so-called "50/20/30 budget rule" (sometimes labeled "50-30-20") in her book, All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan. The basic rule is to divide up after-tax income and allocate it to spend: 50% on needs, 30% on wants, and socking away 20% to savings.
With the 35% / 45% model, your total monthly debt, including your mortgage payment, shouldn't be more than 35% of your pre-tax income, or 45% more than your after-tax income. To calculate how much you can afford with this model, determine your gross income before taxes and multiply it by 35%.
The Income Needed To Qualify for A $500k Mortgage
A good rule of thumb is that the maximum cost of your house should be no more than 2.5 to 3 times your total annual income. This means that if you wanted to purchase a $500K home or qualify for a $500K mortgage, your minimum salary should fall between $165K and $200K.
Key Takeaways. Debt-to-income ratio is your monthly debt obligations compared to your gross monthly income (before taxes), expressed as a percentage. A good debt-to-income ratio is less than or equal to 36%. Any debt-to-income ratio above 43% is considered to be too much debt.