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How To Calculate Your Debt To Income Ratio

From LaToya Irby,
Your Guide to Credit / Debt Management.
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What Your Debt To Income Ratio Means

Your final result will fall into one of these categories.

36% or less is the healthiest debt load for the majority of people. Avoid incurring more debt to maintain a good ratio.

37%-42% isn't a bad place to be. If your ratio falls in this range, you should start reducing your debts.

43%-49% is a ratio that indicates likely financial trouble. Start paying your debts now to prevent an overloaded debt situation.

50% or more is a dangerous ratio. You should be aggressively paying off your debts. Don't hesitate to seek professional help.

Example

In our example, Sam's debt to income ratio is 38.5%. This isn't a bad ratio, but it could become worse if Sam increases his monthly debt payments without increasing his income.

  1. Introduction: Calculating Your Debt To Income Ratio
  2. Total Your Monthly Debt
  3. Total Your Monthly Income
  4. Calculate Your Debt To Income Ratio
  5. What Your Debt To Income Ratio Means

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