What is not included in consumer debt-to-income ratio?

Asked by: Sidney Kuhlman  |  Last update: July 21, 2025
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Note: Expenses like groceries, utilities, gas, and your taxes generally are not included.

What is not included in the debt-to-income ratio?

Your DTI, or debt-to-income ratio, is based on two numbers: Your total recurring monthly debt payments, including student loans, minimum credit card payments, auto loans, child support, alimony, etc. This does not include any non-debt related payments such as rent, groceries, entertainment, utilities, etc.

What is not included in the debt ratio?

What payments should not be included in debt-to-income ratio? Expand. The following payments should not be included: Monthly utilities, like water, garbage, electricity or gas bills.

Does a debt-to-income ratio include all expenses?

Back-End Ratio: Considers all debt payments, including mortgage expenses, credit cards and loans, in comparison to your monthly income. Lenders prefer a front-end ratio of 28% or less for conventional loans and 31% or less for Federal Housing Association (FHA) loans.

What components are considered to calculate debt-to-income ratio?

The debt-to-income ratio (DTI) measures a borrower's debt repayment capacity as per their gross monthly income. In simple terms, DTI is the gross of all monthly debt payments divided by the gross monthly income, calculated as a percentage.

Guide On How To Calculate What Monthly Payment You Qualify For - (Debt To Income Ratio)

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What is included in consumer debt-to-income ratio?

Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) compares how much you owe each month to how much you earn. Specifically, it's the percentage of your gross monthly income (before taxes) that goes towards payments for rent, mortgage, credit cards, or other debt.

What debts should be included in debt-to-income ratio?

Here's how to calculate your DTI:
  • Monthly housing costs, including a mortgage, insurance, homeowners' association fees and property taxes.
  • Rent payments.
  • Home equity loans or lines of credit.
  • Student loans.
  • Credit card debt balances.
  • Pay now pay later loans.
  • Auto loans.
  • Personal loans or lines of credit.

Do you include utilities in debt-to-income ratio?

Don't include non-debt expenses like utilities, insurance or food. Divide that number by your gross monthly income, then multiply that number by 100 to get the percentage used as your DTI ratio.

Is insurance included in debt-to-income ratio?

It does not include health insurance, auto insurance, gas, utilities, cell phone, cable, groceries, or other non-recurring life expenses. The debts evaluated are: Any/all car, credit card, student, mortgage and/or other installment loan payments.

Are medical bills included in debt-to-income ratio?

Your debt-to-income ratio does not factor in your monthly rent payments, any medical debt that you might owe, your cable bill, your cell phone bill, utilities, car insurance or health insurance.

Are property taxes included in the debt-to-income ratio?

First is the front-end DTI ratio, which measures how much of your gross monthly income will be used on your monthly mortgage payment, including property taxes, mortgage insurance and homeowners insurance.

What is not included in debt?

Bad debt may include loans to clients and suppliers, credit sales to customers, and business loan guarantees. However, deductible bad debt does not typically include unpaid rents, salaries, or fees.

Do you include rent in debt-to-income ratio?

1) Add up the amount you pay each month for debt and recurring financial obligations (such as credit cards, car loans and leases, and student loans). Don't include your rental payment, or other monthly expenses that aren't debts (such as phone and electric bills).

Are collections included in debt-to-income ratio?

If you have collections or charge-offs on your credit report, lenders won't typically factor those into your DTI ratio calculation unless you're making regular monthly payments on those debts. But lenders may have a cap on how much of this derogatory credit you can have. Guidelines and policies can vary by lender.

What is the debt-to-income ratio Cannot exceed?

Most traditional lenders prefer borrowers with a DTI ratio of 36% or less, although some may extend this limit up to 43%.

Are hoa fees included in the debt-to-income ratio?

No matter the timeframe, your mortgage underwriter will break down the fees into monthly costs to help calculate your debt-to-income ratio (DTI). This is a comparison of your monthly debt responsibilities—including property taxes, homeowners insurance, and HOA fees—and your monthly income.

Are car payments included in debt-to-income ratio?

How to calculate your debt-to-income ratio. Add up your monthly debt payments (rent/mortgage payments, student loans, auto loans and your monthly minimum credit card payments).

Is mortgage payment included in debt-to-income ratio?

To calculate your DTI, the lender adds up all your monthly debt payments, including the estimated future mortgage payment. Then, they divide the total by your monthly gross income to determine your DTI ratio.

Are personal loans included in debt-to-income ratio?

Examples of debt that lenders will consider:

Loan payments (such as car payments, student loan payments, personal loans, and other loan payments) Monthly alimony or child support payments. Rent payment or mortgage payments. Other debts included in your credit report.

Is maintenance included in debt-to-income ratio?

Your debt-to-income ratio shows the percentage of your monthly income that will go towards your fixed housing expenses (and other fixed liabilities). Your fixed housing expenses include your mortgage and your maintenance on the co-op you are purchasing as well as on any other properties you own.

Does a car loan count as debt when buying a house?

If you're getting a mortgage, your DTI ratio calculation will use the actual monthly payment amount for certain types of debt, such as: Mortgage payment. Auto loans.

Does rent to income ratio include utilities?

The 30% rule for housing affordability considers two distinct categories of costs: housing and utilities. For renters, this generally means rental payments and basic utilities such as electric, water, and heating. Collectively, these expenses should total no more than 30% of a renter's gross monthly income.

What is included in debt-to-income ratio calculator?

Your DTI ratio compares how much you owe with how much you earn in a given month. It typically includes monthly debt payments such as rent, mortgage, credit cards, car payments, and other debt. Include any pre-tax and non-taxable income that you want considered in the results.

What debt is included in debt ratio?

Which debts? Debts include what people call “good” debt—like your mortgage—and what is considered “bad” debt—like the balance on a credit card you used for a trip. Your total debts should include your car loan payment, your 36-month fridge loan payment, etc.

What is accounted for in debt-to-income ratio?

Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is all your monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income. This number is one way lenders measure your ability to manage the monthly payments to repay the money you plan to borrow.