28/36 Rule: What It Is, How to Use It, Example (2024)

What Is the 28/36 Rule?

The 28/36 rule refers to a common-sense approach used to calculate the amount of debt an individual or household should assume. A household should spend a maximum of 28% of its gross monthly income on total housing expenses according to this rule, and no more than 36% on total debt service. This includes housing and other debt such as car loans and credit cards.

Lenders often use this rule to assess whether to extend credit to borrowers.

Key Takeaways

  • The 28/36 rule helps determine how much debt a household can safely take on based on their income, other debts, and lifestyle.
  • Some consumers may use the 28/36 rule when planning their monthly budgets.
  • Following the 28/36 rule can help to improve your chances of credit approval even if a consumer isn't immediately applying for credit.
  • Many underwriters vary their parameters around the 28/36 rule, with some requiring lower percentages and some requiring higher percentages.

Understanding the 28/36 Rule

Lenders use varying criteria to determine whether to approve credit applications. One of the main considerations is an individual's credit score. Lenders usually require that a credit score must fall within a certain range, but a credit score is not the only consideration. Lenders also consider a borrower’s income and debt-to-income (DTI) ratio.

Another factor is the 28/36 rule, which is an important calculation that determines a consumer's financial status. It helps determine how much debt a consumer can safely assume based on their income, other debts, and financial needs. The premise is that debt loads over the 28/36 parameters are likely difficult for an individual or household to sustain. They may eventually lead to default.

This rule is a guide that lenders use to structure underwriting requirements. Some lenders may vary these parameters based on a borrower’s credit score, potentially allowing high credit score borrowers to have slightly higher DTI ratios.

Most traditional mortgage lenders require a maximum household expense-to-income ratio of 28% and a maximum total debt-to-income ratio of 36% for loan approval.

Lenders that use the 28/36 rule in their credit assessments may include questions about housing expenses and comprehensive debt accounts in their credit applications.

Special Considerations

The 28/36 rule is a standard that most lenders use before advancing any credit, so consumers should be aware of the rule before they apply for any type of loan. Lenders pull credit checks for every application they receive. These hard inquiries show up on a consumer's credit report. Having multiple inquiries over a short period can affect a consumer's credit score and may hinder their chance of getting credit in the future.

Example of the 28/36 Rule

Let's say an individual or family brings home a monthly income of $5,000. They could budget up to $1,400 for a monthly mortgage payment and housing expenses if they want to adhere to the 28/36 rule. But it would leave an additional $800 for making other types of loan repayments if they confined their housing expenses to just $1,000 or 20%,

What Is Gross Income?

Your gross income is your income from all sources before any taxes, retirement contributions, or employee benefits have been withheld or deducted. The balance after these deductions is referred to as your "net" income. This is the amount you receive in your paychecks. The 28/36 rule is based on your gross monthly income.

What Is Included in Housing Expenses?

Lenders will typically include in your monthly mortgage payment, property taxes, homeowners insurance premiums, and homeowners association fees, if any, in your housing expenses. Some lenders may include your utilities, too, but this would generally be categorized as contributing to your total debts.

How Is My Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculated?

Your debt-to-income ratio is calculated by dividing all your monthly debt payments by your gross monthly income. Your debt payments include your mortgage, any auto loan(s) and payments toward credit cards, personal loans, student loans, and home equity loans.

The Bottom Line

Each lender establishes its own parameters for housing debt and total debt as a part of its underwriting process. This process is what ultimately determines if you'll qualify for a loan. Household expense payments (primarily rent or mortgage payments) can be no more than 28% of your gross income, and your total debt payments cannot exceed 36% of your income to meet the 28/36 rule.

You might be granted some leeway if you have a very good to excellent credit score, so consider working to improve your score if your 28/36 calculation is borderline.

28/36 Rule: What It Is, How to Use It, Example (2024)

FAQs

What is the 28 36 rule example? ›

A household should spend a maximum of 28% of its gross monthly income on total housing expenses according to this rule, and no more than 36% on total debt service. This includes housing and other debt such as car loans and credit cards. Lenders often use this rule to assess whether to extend credit to borrowers.

Why is the 28 36 percent rule so important to understand? ›

The 28/36 rule states that your total housing costs should not exceed 28% of your gross monthly income and your total debt payments should not exceed 36%. Following this rule aims to keep borrowers from overextending themselves for housing and other costs.

Is the 28 36 rule realistic? ›

The 28/36 rule refers how much debt you can have and still be approved for a conforming mortgage. Lenders prefer you spend 28% or less of your gross monthly income on housing expenses. Ideally, you'd spend 36% or less of your gross monthly income on all debts, but there are exceptions.

What is the rule 28 36 quizlet? ›

The​ 28/36 rule says that as long as your total debt payments are under 36 percent of your gross income then you are not overextended.

What is the 28 36 rule formula? ›

The 28/36 rule says that that you shouldn't spend more than 28% of your income on housing (known as the front end ratio) and 36% of your income on total debt/housing payments (known as the back end ratio).

How do you calculate 50 30 20 rule examples? ›

The 50/30/20 rule of budgeting is a simple method that helps you manage your money more effectively. This basic thumb rule is to divide your post-tax income into three spending categories – 50% for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings.

How do you calculate 28 rule? ›

The 28% rule

The 28% mortgage rule states that you should spend 28% or less of your monthly gross income on your mortgage payment (e.g., principal, interest, taxes and insurance). To determine how much you can afford using this rule, multiply your monthly gross income by 28%.

How much of your household income should go to mortgage? ›

To determine how much income should be put toward a monthly mortgage payment, there are several rules and formulas you can use – but the most popular is the 28% rule, which states that no more than 28% of your gross monthly income should be spent on housing costs.

What percent of salary should go to mortgage? ›

The 28% rule says you should keep your mortgage payment under 28% of your gross income (that's your income before taxes are taken out). For example, if you earn $7,000 per month before taxes, you could multiply $7,000 by . 28 to find that you should keep your mortgage payment under $1,960, according to this rule.

How much should your house payment be Dave Ramsey? ›

Figure out 25% of your take-home pay.

To calculate how much house you can afford, use the 25% rule: Never spend more than 25% of your monthly take-home pay (after tax) on monthly mortgage payments.

How much house can I conservatively afford? ›

A more conservative approach is to limit your housing costs to about 30% of your income. Families who pay more than this may have difficulty covering other important expenses. Try this simple calculator to find out how much house you can afford.

How much loan do I qualify for based on income? ›

Using a percentage of your income can help determine how much house you can afford. For example, the 28/36 rule may help you decide how much to spend on a home. The rule states that your mortgage should be no more than 28 percent of your total monthly gross income and no more than 36 percent of your total debt.

How much is a monthly payment on a $400 000 house? ›

“The average monthly payment for a $400,000 home is $3,037,” says Walsh.

Why does it take 30 years to pay off $150 000 loan quizlet? ›

Why does it take 30 years to pay off $150,000 loan, even though you pay $1000 a month? d. Even though the principal would be paid off in just over 10 years, it costs the bank a lot of money fund the loan. The rest of the loan is paid out in interest.

Why does it take 30 years to pay off $150000 loan even though you pay $1000 a month? ›

Answer and Explanation: The interest rate on a loan directly affects the duration of a loan. Note: The interest rate is calculated using the hit and trial method. Therefore, it takes 30 years to complete the loan of $150,000 with $1,000 per monthly installment at a 0.585% monthly interest rate.

What is the 50 30 20 rule in financial goal setting? ›

The 50/30/20 rule is a budgeting technique that involves dividing your money into three primary categories based on your after-tax income (i.e., your take-home pay): 50% to needs, 30% to wants and 20% to savings and debt payments.

How does the 50 30 20 rule of thumb for budgeting allocate your income? ›

One of the most common types of percentage-based budgets is the 50/30/20 rule. The idea is to divide your income into three categories, spending 50% on needs, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings.

How do you do the 70 20 10 rule? ›

The 70-20-10 rule holds that:
  1. 70 percent of your after-tax income should go toward basic monthly expenses like housing, utilities, food, transportation, and personal living expenses;
  2. 20 percent should be saved or put into investments,
  3. leaving 10 percent for debt repayment.
Feb 2, 2023

How to budget $4,000 a month? ›

For example, say your monthly take-home pay is $4,000. Applying the 50/30/20 rule would give you a budget of: 50% for mandatory expenses = $2,000 (0.50 X 4,000 = $2,000) 30% for wants and discretionary spending = $1,200 (0.30 X 4,000 = $1,200)

How to budget on $3,500 a month? ›

If you make $3,500 every month, attribute each dollar to an expense. You might put $1,750 toward living expenses, $700 toward paying off debt, and $1,050 toward personal expenses like going to the movies or saving for vacation. At the end of the month, your balance is zero, because every dollar is accounted for.

What is the 20% rule example? ›

The 80/20 rule is not a formal mathematical equation, but more a generalized phenomenon that can be observed in economics, business, time management, and even sports. General examples of the Pareto principle: 20% of a plant contains 80% of the fruit. 80% of a company's profits come from 20% of customers.

What is the 28 28 rule? ›

For example, if you have $1,000 of monthly debt and make $3,500 a month, then your debt-to-income ratio would be . 28. In the above two scenarios, your household expenses vs debt is 28/28. This puts your household expenses at 28 percent and your debt under 36, which means you can safely afford the home.

What is the 20 4 10 rule calculator income? ›

The 20/4/10 rule states that you should be able to afford 20% of the down payment on a car and for the monthly cost to be less than 10% of your monthly income when a loan of 4 or less years is used.

What is the 50 30 20 rule What does each number represent? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals. Let's take a closer look at each category.

How much house can I afford if I make $60000 a year? ›

How much of a home loan can I get on a $60,000 salary? The general guideline is that a mortgage should be two to 2.5 times your annual salary. A $60,000 salary equates to a mortgage between $120,000 and $150,000.

How much house can I afford if I make $70,000 a year? ›

If you're an aspiring homeowner, you may be asking yourself, “I make $70,000 a year: how much house can I afford?” If you make $70K a year, you can likely afford a home between $290,000 and $360,000*. That's a monthly house payment between $2,000 and $2,500 a month, depending on your personal finances.

How much house can I afford if I make $36,000 a year? ›

For example, if you make $3,000 a month ($36,000 a year), you can afford a mortgage with a monthly payment no higher than $1,080 ($3,000 x 0.36). Your total household expense should not exceed $1,290 a month ($3,000 x 0.43). How much house can I afford with an FHA loan?

How much income do you need to buy a $650000 house? ›

Based on the current average for a down payment, and the current U.S. average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage you would need to be earning $126,479 per year before taxes to be able to afford a $650,000 home.

What is considered house poor? ›

The expressions “house poor” and “house broke” refer to the situation where homeowners have bought homes beyond their means. They end up spending all their income on repairs and expenses, forgoing vacations and discretionary spending. Instead of being your sanctuary, your home becomes your albatross.

How much of your income should be rent? ›

A popular standard for budgeting rent is to follow the 30% rule, where you spend a maximum of 30% of your monthly income before taxes (your gross income) on your rent. This has been a rule of thumb since 1981, when the government found that people who spent over 30% of their income on housing were "cost-burdened."

What happens if I pay 2 extra mortgage payments a year? ›

Making additional principal payments will shorten the length of your mortgage term and allow you to build equity faster. Because your balance is being paid down faster, you'll have fewer total payments to make, in-turn leading to more savings.

Will interest rates go down in 2023? ›

We expect that 30-year mortgage rates will end 2023 at 5.2%,” the organization noted in its forecast commentary. It since has walked back its forecast slightly but still sees rates dipping below 6%, to 5.6%, by the end of the year.

Will mortgage interest rates go down in 2023? ›

“[W]ith the rate of inflation decelerating rates should gently decline over the course of 2023.” Fannie Mae. 30-year fixed rate mortgage will average 6.4% for Q2 2023, according to the May Housing Forecast. National Association of Realtors (NAR).

How much house can I afford if I make $50000 a year? ›

You can generally afford a home between $180,000 to $250,000 (perhaps nearly $300,000) on a $50K salary. But your specific home buying budget will depend on your credit score, debt-to-income ratio, and down payment size.

How much does a couple need to make to buy a $300 K house? ›

How much do I need to make to buy a $300K house? You'll likely need to make about $75,000 a year to buy a $300K house. This is an estimate, but, as a rule of thumb, with a 3 percent down payment on a conventional 30-year mortgage at 5 percent, your monthly mortgage payment will be around $1,900.

How much do you have to make a year to afford a 500 000 house? ›

To afford a $500,000 home, a person would typically need to make about $140,000 a year, said Realtor.com economic data analyst Hannah Jones. The principal and interest payments would total $2,791 per month, and with taxes and insurance, that number comes up to $3,508.

How big of a loan can I get with a 750 credit score? ›

You can borrow $50,000 - $100,000+ with a 750 credit score. The exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors besides your credit score, such as your income, your employment status, the type of loan you get, and even the lender.

What credit score is good for buying a house? ›

It's recommended you have a credit score of 620 or higher when you apply for a conventional loan. If your score is below 620, lenders either won't be able to approve your loan or may be required to offer you a higher interest rate, which can result in higher monthly payments.

How much do you have to make to qualify for a $400000 loan? ›

What income is required for a 400k mortgage? To afford a $400,000 house, borrowers need $55,600 in cash to put 10 percent down. With a 30-year mortgage, your monthly income should be at least $8200 and your monthly payments on existing debt should not exceed $981. (This is an estimated example.)

How much is a $800,000 dollar house payment? ›

Monthly payments on an $800,000 mortgage

At a 7.00% fixed interest rate, your monthly mortgage payment on a 30-year mortgage might total $5,322 a month, while a 15-year might cost $7,191 a month.

How much house can I afford for $800 a month? ›

Hence, you could afford a $120,246.05 loan.

Can I afford a 300k house on a $70 K salary? ›

On a $70,000 income, you'll likely be able to afford a home that costs $280,000–380,000. The exact amount will depend on how much debt you have and where you live — as well as the type of home loan you get.

How to pay off a 30 year loan in 10 years? ›

How to Pay Your 30-Year Mortgage in 10 Years
  1. Buy a Smaller Home. Really consider how much home you need to buy. ...
  2. Make a Bigger Down Payment. ...
  3. Get Rid of High-Interest Debt First. ...
  4. Prioritize Your Mortgage Payments. ...
  5. Make a Bigger Payment Each Month. ...
  6. Put Windfalls Toward Your Principal. ...
  7. Earn Side Income. ...
  8. Refinance Your Mortgage.

How many years should you have to pay back your loans? ›

Can I Pay More? Your minimum monthly payment is based on the type of loan, the amount you owe, the length of your repayment plan and your interest rate. Typically, borrowers have 10 to 25 years to repay federal loans entirely.

What is your monthly payment if you borrow $15000 over 3 years at 13.0% interest because of bad credit? ›

18. ANS: Your monthly payments jump to $505.41 and total interest increases to $3,194.73 if you borrow $15,000 over 3 years at 13.0% interest because of bad credit. There is an inverse relationship between credit history and interest rates.

How can I pay off a 30-year loan in 15 years? ›

How to Pay Off a 30-Year Mortgage Faster
  1. Pay extra each month.
  2. Bi-weekly payments instead of monthly payments.
  3. Making one additional monthly payment each year.
  4. Refinance with a shorter-term mortgage.
  5. Recast your mortgage.
  6. Loan modification.
  7. Pay off other debts.
  8. Downsize.

Is it better to get a 30-year loan and pay it off in 15 years? ›

People with a 15-year term pay more per month than those with a 30-year term. In exchange, they are given a lower interest rate. This means that borrowers with a 15-year term pay their debt in half the time and possibly save thousands of dollars over the life of their mortgage.

Why 30-year loans are bad? ›

Cons of a 30-Year Fixed Mortgage

Higher interest rate: The longer a lender's risk of being repaid is stretched out (and the longer the lender's money is tied up), the higher the interest rate tends to be; customarily, the difference between 15- and 30-year loans is about a half-point.

What is the 10 20 rule examples? ›

Here's an example of the 10/20 rule

To figure out 20% of your annual income, just divide your income by 5. $33,900 divided by 5 is $6,780. You'll want to keep your total debt below that. (Remember, your mortgage doesn't count.)

What is the 50 30 20 rule and how is it used to allocate income? ›

One of the most common percentage-based budgets is the 50/30/20 rule. The idea is to divide your income into three categories, spending 50% on needs, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings. Learn more about the 50/30/20 budget rule and if it's right for you.

What is the 36 43 rule? ›

As a general guideline, 43% is the highest DTI ratio a borrower can have and still get qualified for a mortgage. Ideally, lenders prefer a debt-to-income ratio lower than 36%, with no more than 28% of that debt going towards servicing a mortgage or rent payment.

What is the 20 10 rule to calculate debt limits? ›

The 20/10 rule of thumb is a budgeting technique that can be an effective way to keep your debt under control. It says your total debt shouldn't equal more than 20% of your annual income, and that your monthly debt payments shouldn't be more than 10% of your monthly income.

What is the 80-20 rule an example of? ›

The 80-20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, is a familiar saying that asserts that 80% of outcomes (or outputs) result from 20% of all causes (or inputs) for any given event. In business, a goal of the 80-20 rule is to identify inputs that are potentially the most productive and make them the priority.

What is an example of 80-20 rule in life? ›

80% of sleep quality occurs in 20% of sleep. 80% of results are caused by 20% of thinking and planning. 80% of family problems are caused by 20% of issues. 80% of retail sales are produced by 20% of a store's brands.

What is the 40 40 20 budget rule? ›

It goes like this: 40% of income should go towards necessities (such as rent/mortgage, utilities, and groceries) 30% should go towards discretionary spending (such as dining out, entertainment, and shopping) - Hubble Spending Money Account is just for this. 20% should go towards savings or paying off debt.

What is the 50 15 5 rule? ›

50 - Consider allocating no more than 50 percent of take-home pay to essential expenses. 15 - Try to save 15 percent of pretax income (including employer contributions) for retirement. 5 - Save for the unexpected by keeping 5 percent of take-home pay in short-term savings for unplanned expenses.

What is a 60 40 budget? ›

60/40. Allocate 60% of your income for fixed expenses like your rent or mortgage and 40% for variable expenses like groceries, entertainment and travel.

What is the 6 36 rule? ›

The basic rule for using support income as qualified income for mortgage financing purposes is the 6/36 rule. For spousal or child support to be qualified income, we typically need to show six months' proof of receipt and 36 months' continuance AFTER the loan has closed.

What is the 31 43 rule? ›

How much can that ratio be? 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."

What is the 7% rule for debt investing? ›

No one has a crystal ball, of course, but always do your research about recent returns before deciding to invest while paying off debt. “We tend to say: anything above 7 percent, pay it off,” says Sallie Krawcheck, CEO of Ellevest.

What is the 7 rule debt? ›

The debt collector is presumed to violate the law if they place a telephone call to you about a particular debt: More than seven times within a seven-day period, or. Within seven days after engaging in a telephone conversation with you about the particular debt.

What is the 50 30 20 rule with debt? ›

The 50/30/20 rule is a budgeting technique that involves dividing your money into three primary categories based on your after-tax income (i.e., your take-home pay): 50% to needs, 30% to wants and 20% to savings and debt payments.

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