What is the debt ratio? (2024)

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What is the debt ratio? (1)

Having debts is not bad in itself. A mortgage or a car loan, for example, are debts. But the situation becomes more complicated if your debts exceed your ability to repay them. You are then “overleveraged.”

Summary

  • Whether it be “good” or “bad,” a debt is problematic when you are no longer able to pay it back on time.
  • By calculating the ratio between your income and your debts, you get your “debt ratio.” This is something the banks are very interested in.
  • A debt ratio below 30% is excellent. Above 40% is critical. Lenders could deny you a loan.

To avoid ending up in “overleveraged” situation, it’s important that you know and understand your debt ratio. We’ll explain what it is.

The debt ratio explained

The debt ratio is a measure that indicates the ratio of your income to your debts. Some also call it the “indebtedness ratio” or “debt load.”

The debt ratio measures the gross annual income required for monthly payments on all debts.

Every time you want to borrow from your bank, your debt ratio is calculated. The result is a picture of your finances. Specifically, it tells the bank whether you will theoretically be able to repay the loan you are applying for.

How do I calculate my debt ratio?

Calculating your debt ratio is simple: divide your total gross monthly debt payments by your gross monthly income. Which debts? Debts include what people call “good” debt—like your mortgage—and what is considered “bad” debt—like the balance on a credit card you used for a trip. Your total debts should include your car loan payment, your 36-month fridge loan payment, etc.

Here’s an easy-to-use tool to help you calculate your debt ratio.

What is the debt ratio? (2)

Do I need to worry about my debt ratio?

If your debt ratio does not exceed 30%, the banks will find it excellent. Your ratio shows that if you manage your daily expenses well, you should be able to pay off your debts without worry or penalty.

A debt ratio between 30% and 36% is also considered good.

It’s when you’re approaching 40% that you have to be very, very vigilant. With a threshold like that, you’re a greater risk to lenders. You may already be having trouble making your payments each month. As a result, lenders may deny you a car loan, a student loan or a mortgage, for fear that you won’t be able to pay them back.

What do I do if my debt ratio is over 40%?

You should see this as a wake-up call. This is probably a sign that your debts are taking up too much room in your finances. And, contrary to what many people believe, over-indebtedness is not just a “bad patch.” It’s a situation that can quickly become a spiral.

Fortunately, there are ways out of this. The important thing is to act quickly. Why not now?

Debt ratio

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Don’t ignore a debt problem that’s ruining your life. Let’s work together to help you regain control of your finances.

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What is the debt ratio? (2024)

FAQs

What is the debt ratio? ›

Whether or not a debt ratio is "good" depends on the context: the company's industrial sector, the prevailing interest rate, etc. In general, many investors look for a company to have a debt ratio between 0.3 and 0.6.

What is a good debt ratio ratio? ›

35% or less: Looking Good - Relative to your income, your debt is at a manageable level. You most likely have money left over for saving or spending after you've paid your bills. Lenders generally view a lower DTI as favorable.

What is the debt equity ratio answer? ›

What Is the Debt-to-Equity (D/E) Ratio? The debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio is used to evaluate a company's financial leverage and is calculated by dividing a company's total liabilities by its shareholder equity.

Which is the debt ratio? ›

The debt ratio is defined as the ratio of total debt to total assets, expressed as a decimal or percentage. It can be interpreted as the proportion of a company's assets that are financed by debt.

What is the debt ratio quizlet? ›

The debt ratio indicates the percentage of the total asset amounts stated on the balance sheet that is owed to creditors. A high debt ratio indicates that a corporation has a high level of financial leverage.

How much debt is acceptable? ›

Debt-to-income ratio is your monthly debt obligations compared to your gross monthly income (before taxes), expressed as a percentage. A good debt-to-income ratio is less than or equal to 36%. Any debt-to-income ratio above 43% is considered to be too much debt.

Is a debt ratio of 0.7 good? ›

High debt ratio: If the result is a big number (like 0.7 or 70%), it means the company owes a lot compared to what it owns. This could be risky.

What is the ideal current ratio? ›

What is the ideal current ratio? An ideal current ratio should be between 1.2 to 2, which indicates that the business has 2 times more current assets than liabilities to covers its debts. A current ratio below 1 means that the company doesn't have enough liquid assets to cover its short-term liabilities.

What is a good current ratio? ›

The current ratio weighs a company's current assets against its current liabilities. A good current ratio is typically considered to be anywhere between 1.5 and 3.

What is an example of a debt ratio? ›

Let's say you have 600,000$ in total assets and 150,000$ in liabilities. To calculate the debt ratio, divide the liability (150,000$ ) by the total assets (600,000$ ). This results in a debt ratio of 0.25 or 25 percent.

What is a bad debt ratio? ›

The bad debt to sales ratio represents the fraction of uncollectible accounts receivables in a year compared to total sales. For example, if a company's revenue is $100,000 and it's unable to collect $3,000, the bad debt to sales ratio is (3,000/100,000=0.03).

What does a debt ratio of 0.5 mean? ›

In an ideal world, a company would have a debt ratio of 0.5, or 50%. This would mean that the company was funded equally by debt and equity funding. If this company were to decide to seek additional funding for a project from a bank, the bank would look favorably on this debt ratio.

What is a good long-term debt ratio? ›

What is a good long-term debt ratio? A long-term debt ratio of 0.5 or less is considered a good definition to indicate the safety and security of a business.

What is debt ratio simple? ›

The debt ratio of a company tells the amount of leverage it's using by comparing total debt to total assets. It is calculated by dividing total liabilities by total assets, with higher debt ratios indicating higher degrees of debt financing.

Is 0.5 a good debt ratio? ›

Key Takeaways

From a pure risk perspective, debt ratios of 0.4 or lower are considered better, while a debt ratio of 0.6 or higher makes it more difficult to borrow money.

Is a debt ratio of 50% good? ›

Broadly speaking, ratios of 60% (0.6) or more are considered high, while ratios of 40% (0.4) or less are considered low.

Is 75% a good debt ratio? ›

A debt ratio below 0.5 is typically considered good, as it signifies that debt represents less than half of total assets. A debt ratio of 0.75 suggests a relatively high level of financial leverage, with debt constituting 75% of total assets.

Is 20% a good debt ratio? ›

Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is how much money you earn versus what you spend. It's calculated by dividing your monthly debts by your gross monthly income. Generally, it's a good idea to keep your DTI ratio below 43%, though 35% or less is considered “good.”

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