Savings Rate Signal
See what remains after all monthly spending, including debt payments.
Check your savings rateDebt Load Signal
How much income is committed to debt?
This calculator tells you what percentage of monthly take-home income goes to non-mortgage debt payments and whether that load is green, yellow, or red.
Calculate your debt load
What the percentage means
This is a cash-flow measure: it shows how much income is spoken for before groceries, housing, utilities, and other needs. It does not measure interest rates, balances, payoff time, or whether a particular debt helped you acquire a useful asset.
A high percentage can make a budget less resilient even when every payment is current. Review interest rates and minimums separately before choosing which balance to address first.
These thresholds are a common budgeting rule of thumb, not financial advice. This is not the gross-income debt-to-income ratio used in mortgage underwriting.
Debt load questions
Which debt payments should I include?
Include required monthly payments for credit cards, auto loans, student loans, personal loans, medical debt, and other non-mortgage balances.
Why use take-home income?
Take-home income reflects the money actually available for monthly bills, making this a practical cash-flow measure.
Why exclude a mortgage?
Housing is typically evaluated separately because nearly every household has a housing cost. This tool isolates debt payments beyond a mortgage.
Is this the same ratio a lender uses?
No. Lenders commonly use gross income and include housing obligations. This calculator uses take-home income to show the effect on your monthly budget.
Related signals
Emergency Fund Signal
Measure how long your reserve could cover essential bills and minimum payments.
Check your emergency fund