Kentucky Mortgage Guide · 2026

Debt-to-Income Ratio
for FHA Loans in Kentucky

How DTI works, what income qualifies & how to get approved — explained simply

1
What Is a Debt-to-Income (DTI) Ratio?

Your Monthly Debts
Car loan, credit cards,
student loans, future
mortgage payment
All recurring obligations
÷
Gross Monthly Income
Pre-tax wages, Social
Security, retirement,
self-employment
Before taxes are deducted

$1,500 monthly debts  ÷  $5,000 gross income  =  30% DTI ✓

2
Two Ratios Lenders Measure

Front-End / Housing Ratio
Housing Payment Only
31%
FHA guideline — AUS can approve higher
→ Principal & Interest
→ Property Taxes (escrow)
→ Homeowner’s Insurance
→ FHA MIP (mortgage insurance)
→ HOA fees (if applicable)
Back-End / Total Debt Ratio
Housing + All Other Debts
43%
Standard max — up to 56.9% with AUS approval
→ Everything in front-end PLUS:
→ Car loans & leases
→ Student loans (min. payment)
→ Credit card minimums
→ Child support paid

3
2026 DTI Limits by Kentucky Loan Program

Loan Program Front-End Back-End AUS Max
FHA
FHA Loan

Min. 3.5% down · 580+ credit
31% 43% 56.9%
VA
VA Loan

Veterans · No down payment required
No limit 41% Flexible
USDA
USDA Rural Housing

Rural Kentucky · No down payment
29% 41% 44%
KHC
KHC (Kentucky Housing Corp.)

Down payment assistance available
Follows Follows Matches underlying FHA/VA/USDA
CON
Conventional (Fannie/Freddie)

3–5% down · Stronger credit required
Flexible 45% 50%

4
Income That Counts Toward Qualifying

💼 
W-2 Wages (Base Salary)
📈 
Overtime & Bonus (2-yr avg)
🏠 
Self-Employment (2-yr returns)
🛡️ 
Social Security & SSI
⚖️ 
Pension & Retirement Income
🎖️ 
VA Disability Benefits
👶 
Child Support Received
🏡 
Rental Income (documented)
🚫 
Cash / Undocumented Income — Does NOT count

5
Real Kentucky Buyer Example — Louisville, KY

👤 Sarah — First-Time Buyer Using an FHA Loan in Louisville, KY
$185,000 purchase price · 3.5% FHA down payment

Income
Gross Monthly Income
$4,200
Monthly Debts
Housing Payment (PITI + MIP)$1,100
Car Loan$320
Student Loan (1% of $18k balance)$180
Credit Card Minimums$55
Total Monthly Debts$1,655

26.2%
Front-End DTI
✓ Under 31% FHA limit

39.4%
Back-End DTI
✓ Under 43% FHA limit — Approved!

6
4 Ways to Improve Your DTI Before Applying

1
Pay Down Small Debts
Eliminating a $75/month minimum directly lowers your back-end DTI. Target accounts with fewer than 10 months remaining — they may drop off entirely.

2
Document All Income Sources
Part-time work, freelance, rental income, and Social Security all count with proper documentation. Missing income = a higher apparent DTI.

3
Choose a Lower Purchase Price
A smaller loan means a smaller payment and better DTI. Many rural Kentucky areas qualify for USDA loans with zero down payment required.

4
Build Compensating Factors
A 620+ credit score, cash reserves, or a 10%+ down payment can unlock FHA automated underwriting approval up to 56.9% DTI.

Get Your Free DTI Analysis Today
Joel Lobb · Kentucky FHA Mortgage Expert · 20+ Years Experience
1,300+ Kentucky Families Helped · FHA · VA · USDA · KHC · Conventional
Down Payment Assistance Available
📞 502-905-3708
kentuckyloan@gmail.com · NMLS #57916
Equal Housing Lender

© 2026 Joel Lobb · Kentucky Mortgage Loans · NMLS #57916 · Company NMLS #1738461 · Not affiliated with FHA, VA, USDA, or any government agency

Kentucky Mortgage Broker Offering FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional, and KHC Down Payment Assistance Home Loans's avatarKentucky First-Time Home Buyer Programs | USDA, FHA, VA & KHC Loans

 

A debt to income ratio, commonly referred to as DTI, is the ratio of the amount of monthly expenses you have relative to your gross (before tax) income. 

 

The automated underwriter will look at two ratios when analyzing your DTI: your front end DTI ratio and your back end DTI ratio.

 

Front End DTI

 

The front end DTI is the ratio of your new housing payment including taxes and insurance relative to the amount of income you earn.  The front end DTI ratio excludes all other debts and simply analyzes your income relative to the payments on the new mortgage plus tax and insurance. 

 

So, if your mortgage payments including tax and insurance are $1,000 and you earn $4,000 per month in gross income, your front end DTI would be 25% ($1,000 / $4,000 = 25%). 

 

Generally, the automated underwriter likes to see front…

View original post 221 more words

Leave a comment