Debt-to-income ratio calculator
Enter gross income, the new housing payment and your other monthly debts. See the front-end and back-end ratios next to the published Fannie Mae, FHA and VA limits.
| Published limit | Max | You |
|---|
Reference limits from Fannie Mae's Selling Guide (B3-6-02), HUD's FHA manual underwriting matrix and VA's rule at 38 CFR 36.4340, checked October 2026. Lenders, loan programs and automated underwriting can apply other limits and count income and debts differently. This is not a loan approval.
Debt-to-income ratio is monthly debt payments divided by gross monthly income. The front-end ratio uses only the housing payment; the back-end ratio adds every other debt. With $8,000 income, a $2,200 housing payment and $600 of other debts, DTI is 27.5% front-end and 35% back-end. Limits differ by program and lender.
How to use the debt-to-income ratio calculator
Enter income
Gross monthly or yearly income for the borrower and any co-borrower.
Add the housing payment
Principal and interest, property tax, insurance, HOA dues and mortgage insurance.
Add other debts
Minimum monthly payments on car, student, card and other loans, then compare.
What the debt-to-income ratio calculator covers
Front-end and back-end
Housing ratio and total debt ratio, side by side.
Published limits
Fannie Mae, FHA manual underwriting and VA maximums, each marked within or above.
FHA compensating factors
The 31/43, 37/47, 40/40 and 40/50 tiers from HUD's current matrix.
VA rounding
The VA ratio is rounded to the nearest whole percent, as the rule says.
Monthly or yearly income
Enter salary either way.
- Formula
- Front-end = housing ÷ gross income; back-end = (housing + other debts) ÷ gross income
- Fannie Mae
- 36% manual (up to 45% with credit score and reserves); 50% in Desktop Underwriter
- FHA manual
- 31/43; 37/47, 40/40 or 40/50 with a 580+ score and compensating factors
- VA
- 41% guideline, with residual income also considered
Questions about the debt-to-income ratio calculator
How is debt-to-income ratio calculated?
Add your monthly debt payments, including the new housing payment, and divide by gross monthly income before taxes. The CFPB's example: $2,000 of monthly debts on $6,000 of income is a 33% DTI.
What's the difference between front-end and back-end DTI?
Front-end DTI counts only the housing payment: principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA dues and mortgage insurance. Back-end DTI adds car loans, student loans, card minimums and other debts. FHA uses both; Fannie Mae and VA use the total ratio.
What is the maximum DTI for a conventional loan?
For Fannie Mae loans, the Selling Guide sets 36% of stable monthly income for manually underwritten loans, up to 45% if the borrower meets the Eligibility Matrix's credit score and reserve rules, and a 50% maximum for loans run through Desktop Underwriter.
What is the maximum DTI for an FHA loan?
For manually underwritten FHA loans, HUD's matrix is 31/43. Borrowers with a score of 580 or higher can go to 37/47 with one compensating factor, 40/40 with no discretionary debt, or 40/50 with two. Below 580 or with no score, the cap is 31/43.
What is the VA debt-to-income limit?
VA's standard is 41% or less, rounded to the nearest whole percent. A higher ratio can be approved with justification, and when residual income is at least 20% above the guideline, extra review isn't needed.
Does Closingbird help with loan approval?
No. Closingbird is transaction management: it tracks the financing contingency and loan approval deadlines on the file and reminds the owner before each one.
Guides and features for this step of the deal
Let Closingbird keep every date for you
Closingbird reads the executed contract, fills in every deadline, party and amount, and reminds each deadline owner before the date. Calendar or business days, with weekends and US federal holidays skipped.
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