The 20/10 Rule - A Finance Rule For Credit Guidance (2024)

What is the 20/10 Rule?

To begin, the 20/10 rule is a conservative rule of thumb for other consumer credit , not counting a house payment. What does this mean exactly? This means that total household debt (not including house payments) shouldn’t exceed 20% of your net household income. (Your net income is how much you actually “bring home” after taxes in your paycheck.) Ideally, monthly payments shouldn’t exceed 10% of the NET amount you bring home.

What's The Purpose For The 20/10 Rule?

The main purpose that this rule holds is to help you create a guided structure on how much debt you should actually be carrying. Not only that but this rule also helps you visually see how much you are spending and where you're spending it, which then allows you to clearly set your financial goals for however long you choose to use this rule.

There are instances where this rule may not work for everyone right away. It all depends on how far into debt you are in and if that debt has reflected negatively onto your credit score. It is important that when planning to use the 20/10 rule, you speak with a professional that can help you with any questions regarding how you can pay off your debt as well as repair your credit to get better rates when trying to pay off the debt itself.

How to Use the 20/10 Rule

This rule is a lot more simple to use than you think. With the 20/10 rule there are only 2 things that need to be calculated.

To begin, you will need to start off by knowing what your monthly income is after tax is taken out. (This is the amount that will appear on your direct deposits or in on your checks).

First Calculation (10%)

After you find out your monthly income, you will need to multiply it by 10%.

The reason we are multiplying your income by 10% is because that is how much you should actually be spending per month on your debt payments.

Let's say that you make $3,000 per month:

$3,000 x 0.10= 300

You should at most be making payments of $300 every month on your debt payments.

Second Calculation (20%)

First you are going to multiply your monthly income after tax by 12 to get your yearly income, then multiply that answer by 20%.

This calculation will allow you to see how much you should be spending on debt payments in a year.

So...

($3,000x 12) x .20 = $7,200

That's right... you should only be spending $7,200 every year on debt payments if you make a monthly income of $3,000. Of course, everyone gets paid differently so these calculations can vary depending on the person.

Conclusion

In summary, the purpose of the 20/10 rule is to show you that you should be limiting your total household debt to 20% of net income and monthly payments to 10%. Using this financial approach will help you visualize and manage your spending which in turn will allow you to set better financial goals. While this may not be an immediate fit for everyone, it can pave the way to looking at things differently and it can show you that there are great ways to manage debt.

Try these calculations out and see how it works out for you!

For more questions about the 20/10 rule, feel free to contact us!

The 20/10 Rule - A Finance Rule For Credit Guidance (2024)

FAQs

The 20/10 Rule - A Finance Rule For Credit Guidance? ›

The 20/10 rule says, 20% of your annual net income should be spent on consumer debt and no more than 10% of your monthly net income should be used to pay debt.

What is the 20/10 rule quizlet? ›

2 of 3. The 20/10 Rule allows a consumer to have a debt that is less than or equal only to 20% of yearly take-home pay and payments shall be 10% or less only of the monthly take-home pay.

What is the 10-20 rule in finance? ›

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.

Is the 70/20/10 rule good? ›

The 70-20-10 rule helps you manage your finances and plan for the future. It is an excellent opportunity to maintain the luxuries you enjoy and still pay the bills, while evening putting some cash aside for a rainy day.

Is the 50/30/20 rule realistic? ›

The 50/30/20 rule can be a good budgeting method for some, but it may not work for your unique monthly expenses. Depending on your income and where you live, earmarking 50% of your income for your needs may not be enough.

What is the 20 10 rule briefly explain? ›

The 20/10 rule follows the logic that no more than 20% of your annual net income should be spent on consumer debt and no more than 10% of your monthly net income should be used to pay debt repayments.

Which of the following best summarizes the 20 10 rule? ›

The 20/10 rule of thumb limits consumer debt payments to no more than 20% of your annual take-home income and no more than 10% of your monthly take-home income. This guideline can help you limit the amount of debt you carry, which is important for your financial health and your credit score.

What is the 1020 rule in finance? ›

While it's technically a rule of thumb as opposed to an enforceable decree, the 10/20 rule is a system of budgeting that can work for virtually anyone. The idea is to keep your total debt at or under 20% of your annual income, while maintaining monthly payments at no more than 10% of your monthly net income.

What is the rule of 20 in financial planning? ›

Key Takeaways

The 50/30/20 budget rule states that you should spend up to 50% of your after-tax income on needs and obligations that you must have or must do. The remaining half should be split between savings and debt repayment (20%) and everything else that you might want (30%).

What is the 20 percent rule personal finance? ›

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.

What is the 20 10 rule for cars? ›

To apply this rule of thumb, budget for the following: 20% down payment: Aim to make a 20% down payment on your new car. 4-year repayment term: Choose a repayment term of four years or less on your auto loan. 10% transportation costs: Spend less than 10% of your total monthly income on transportation costs.

What does the 70/20/10 rule mean? ›

The 70-20-10 budget formula divides your after-tax income into three buckets: 70% for living expenses, 20% for savings and debt, and 10% for additional savings and donations. By allocating your available income into these three distinct categories, you can better manage your money on a daily basis.

What is the 40 40 20 budget rule? ›

The 40/40/20 rule comes in during the saving phase of his wealth creation formula. Cardone says that from your gross income, 40% should be set aside for taxes, 40% should be saved, and you should live off of the remaining 20%.

Can you live on $1000 a month after bills? ›

Bottom Line. Living on $1,000 per month is a challenge. From the high costs of housing, transportation and food, plus trying to keep your bills to a minimum, it would be difficult for anyone living alone to make this work. But with some creativity, roommates and strategy, you might be able to pull it off.

Which is better, 50/30/20 or 70/20/10? ›

The 70/20/10 Budget

This budget follows the same style as the 50/30/20, but the percentages are adjusted to better fit the average American's financial situation. “70/20/10 suggests a framework of 70% of your income on essentials and discretionary spending, 20% on savings and 10% on paying off your debt.

Is $4000 a good savings? ›

Ready to talk to an expert? Are you approaching 30? How much money do you have saved? According to CNN Money, someone between the ages of 25 and 30, who makes around $40,000 a year, should have at least $4,000 saved.

What is a good explanation for the 10 rule? ›

What is the 10 rule? The ten percent rule of energy transfer states that each level in an ecosystem only gives 10% of its energy to the levels above it. This law explains much of the structural dynamics of ecosystems including why there are more organisms at the bottom of the ecosystem pyramid compared to the top.

What types of payments are not included in the 20 10 rule? ›

What's not included in the 20/10 rule? Because the 20/10 rule applies to consumer debt, your mortgage and student loans usually aren't included. These types of “good” debt aren't usually considered consumer debt.

What is the 50 20 30 rule quizlet? ›

A popular savings rule of thumb in which 50% of your income goes towards necessities (groceries, rent, utilities), 20% goes towards savings, debt, and investments, and 30% goes towards flexible spending.

How do you calculate the 10 rule? ›

Step 1: Identify the population size, , and calculate 10% of the population size, . Step 2: Identify the sample size, . Step 3: Compare the sample size to 10% of the population size. If n ≤ 0.1 N then the 10% rule is satisfied.

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