What is required to determine maximum allowable monthly debts?

To determine the maximum allowable monthly debts, a common guideline in the lending industry is to use a percentage of the borrower’s gross monthly income. This approach helps ensure that the borrower can manage their debt responsibilities without experiencing financial strain.

By multiplying the gross monthly income by 40%, you get a reasonable cap on total monthly debts, including housing expenses (PITI: Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance) alongside other debts such as credit cards, car loans, and student loans. Subtracting the desired PITI from this figure gives you the amount available for other monthly debts, helping to maintain a balanced debt-to-income ratio, which is crucial for lenders during the approval process.

Using 30%, 50%, or 20% instead of 40% could either underestimate or overestimate what is actually affordable or acceptable relative to debt obligations, possibly leading to financial difficulties for the borrower or a reject decision by the lender.