Is 25% debt-to-income ratio good?
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.
Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is how much money you earn versus what you spend. It's calculated by dividing your monthly debts by your gross monthly income. Generally, it's a good idea to keep your DTI ratio below 43%, though 35% or less is considered “good.”
35% or less is generally viewed as favorable, and your debt is manageable. You likely have money remaining after paying monthly bills. 36% to 49% means your DTI ratio is adequate, but you have room for improvement.
A general rule of thumb is to keep your overall debt-to-income ratio at or below 43%. This is seen as a wise target because it's the maximum debt-to-income ratio at which you're eligible for a Qualified Mortgage —a type of home loan designed to be stable and borrower-friendly.
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.
Lenders, including anyone who might give you a mortgage or an auto loan, use DTI as a measure of creditworthiness. DTI is one factor that can help lenders decide whether you can repay the money you have borrowed or take on more debt. A good debt-to-income ratio is below 43%, and many lenders prefer 36% or below.
The Federal Reserve tracks the nation's household debt payments as a percentage of disposable income. The most recent debt payment-to-income ratio, from the third quarter of 2023, is 9.8%. That means the average American spends nearly 10% of their monthly income on debt payments.
Lenders generally look for the ideal candidate's front-end ratio to be no more than 28 percent, and the back-end ratio to be no higher than 36 percent. They then work backward to figure out how much of a mortgage and a mortgage payment you could afford.
According to the FHA official site, "The FHA allows you to use 31% of your income towards housing costs and 43% towards housing expenses and other long-term debt." Those percentages should be examined side-by-side with the debt-to-income requirements of a conventional home loan.
Most lenders say a DTI of 36% is acceptable, but they want to lend you money, so they're willing to cut some slack. Many financial advisors say a DTI higher than 35% means you have too much debt. Others stretch the boundaries up to the 49% mark.
How much of my paycheck should go to credit card debt?
But ideally you should never spend more than 10% of your take-home pay towards credit card debt. So, for example, if you take home $2,500 a month, you should never pay more than $250 a month towards your credit card bills.
Rent is an expense, and it can be a liability, but it is not a debt unless it is overdue. Rent and mortgage interest are in the same class of expense. But then mortgage interest is not a debt either.
According to the 28/36 rule, you should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on housing and no more than 36% on all debts. Housing costs can include: Your monthly mortgage payment. Homeowners Insurance. Private mortgage insurance.
Paying off your credit card balance every month is one of the factors that can help you improve your scores. Companies use several factors to calculate your credit scores. One factor they look at is how much credit you are using compared to how much you have available.
Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.
The average debt an American owes is $104,215 across mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, auto loans, credit card debt, student loan debt, and other debts like personal loans. Data from Experian breaks down the average debt a consumer holds based on type, age, credit score, and state.
Borrowers must have a minimum credit score of 580 to qualify for the loan. The maximum DTI for FHA loans is 57%. However, a lender can set their own requirement.
Personal debt can be considered to be unmanageable when the level of required repayments cannot be met through normal income streams. This would usually occur over a sustained period of time, causing overall debt levels to increase to a level beyond which somebody is able to pay.
- Increase the amount you pay monthly toward your debts. ...
- Ask creditors to reduce your interest rate, which would lead to savings that you could use to pay down debt.
- Avoid taking on more debt.
- Look for ways to increase your income.
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 states have the highest debt-to-income ratio?
By the third quarter of 2022, Hawaii had the highest debt-to-income ratio of any state at 2.26. This figure means that the average household has just over twice as many monthly debt payments as their gross monthly income. Right behind Hawaii's debt-to-income ratio was Idaho at 2.07 and Maryland at 1.97.
If your debt ratio does not exceed 30%, the banks will find it excellent. 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.
Interpreting the Debt Ratio
If the ratio is over 1, a company has more debt than assets. If the ratio is below 1, the company has more assets than debt. Broadly speaking, ratios of 60% (0.6) or more are considered high, while ratios of 40% (0.4) or less are considered low.
If you're looking for a loan, you'll likely need a DTI ratio of 43% or lower to qualify for reasonable terms. But, the lower it is, the better. That's not just the case in terms of your ability to borrow, but also in terms of your financial stability. If your ratio is higher than 35%, it's likely time to act.
The 28/36 rule dictates that you spend no more than 28 percent of your gross monthly income on housing costs and no more than 36 percent on all of your debt combined, including those housing costs.
