Free Debt-to-Income (DTI) Calculator

September 29, 2026 · 1 min read · By the DollarWise team

Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is the number lenders check first — it’s your monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income. A lower DTI means more borrowing power and less stress. This free calculator gives you your ratio and a plain-English rating.

Gross monthly income (before taxes) Total monthly debt payments (mortgage/rent, loans, credit cards, car…)

Front-end vs. back-end DTI

Lenders sometimes use two versions: front-end (housing costs only) and back-end (all debts, which is what this calculator does). Back-end is the stricter and more common test — aim to keep it under 36%.