Do you have too much debt? - Bankrate.com

Debt has been known to increase stress levels, wreck marriages and contribute to depression. Unfortunately, debt is so commonplace these days that no one even thinks about it. It’s normal to have thousands of dollars of debt in your name, but it’s anything but healthy.

Learn the maximum amount of debt you should have, plus how you can get help if you’re in over your head. If you find you have too much debt, don’t hesitate — take action.

How much debt is too much?

You want your debt to be as low as possible so you can remain financially flexible for both emergencies and your future goals. When you struggle to make monthly payments, you’re likely hitting your debt capacity. How much debt is a lot? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends you keep your debt-to-income ratio below 43%. Statistically speaking, people with debts exceeding 43% often have trouble making their monthly payments.

The highest ratio you can have and still be able to obtain a qualified mortgage is also 43%. If you want to purchase a house soon, and a monthly mortgage payment would push you past 43%, you should lower your debt before you start house hunting.

Calculate Your Debt-to-Income (DTI)

To calculate how much your debt is affecting your monthly finances, take your total monthly debt and divide it by your monthly income. However, your debt doesn’t include all of your monthly expenditures but does include the following:

Monthly credit card payments
Alimony
Child support
Monthly rent or mortgage payment
Loan payments (such as student loans and auto loans)

Things that shouldn’t be calculated as part of your DTI include:

Internet
Cable
Electricity
Gas
Cell phone
Insurance
Monthly subscriptions
Groceries

If your monthly income is $3,000 and your monthly debts are $1,000, your DTI would be 33% ($1,000/ $3,000= 0.33). That is a good number to be at and isn’t considered too high by lenders.

Does debt affect your credit score?

Yes, it does, especially if it’s credit card debt. There are five factors that go into calculating your credit score, one of which is credit utilization. This ratio has to do with revolving credit (including credit card debt), and accounts for 30% of your FICO score.

How much credit card debt is too much? Lenders and creditors don’t like to see you use more than 30% of your available credit. If your credit cards are charged beyond 30% of your available line, they’ll think that your financial situation isn’t as strong as it could be.

Understanding your debt

There are two kinds of debt: good and bad.

Good debt increases your net worth over time or has some sort of lasting value. Examples of good types of debt include things like a home purchase or an education. Houses generally appreciate over time, and are considered to be a good investment because should you sell, you may get back more than you put in. Additionally, a college degree enables you to get a well- paying job and earn more money over the course of your life.

Bad debt, on the other hand, doesn’t provide any type of value. It includes things that you finance because you didn’t have the cash to pay for it. Unlike good debt, it doesn’t add to your net worth or have any lasting value.

When a majority of your debt comes from bad debt, it suggests that you may be living beyond your means. Consider taking a hard look at your finances and create a realistic budget by which you can live. It should be one that still allows you to have a little fun, but that also helps keep you on track to pay your bills and save towards retirement.

Signs you have too much debt

The following scenarios are warning signs of debt problems:

You live paycheck to paycheck
You rely on credit cards to make simple purchases
Your debt balance stays the same despite regular payments
You don’t have an emergency fund, and are unable to establish one
Your total debts account for more than half your income
You’re unable to contribute to a retirement plan

If any of the above sound like you, it may be time to make a few changes or seek professional help.

Getting help

If you find that your debt is affecting your day-to-day life and you’re asking yourself, “Do I have too much debt?” you may want to consider getting a debt consolidation loan.

Debt consolidation loans often have much lower interest rates than credit cards, which means more of your monthly payments go towards the loan principal and less towards interest. This, in turn, may help you get out of debt faster. Plus, you only have to worry about one payment each month.

You may also consider contacting a credit counseling service to help you establish a realistic budget that is tailored to your exact needs. You can often find free to low-cost credit counseling services through nonprofits, banks, credit unions, and nearby churches.

Filing for bankruptcy should not be your immediate go-to plan. Definitely talk with a professional before even considering filing for bankruptcy because it stays on your credit report can affect you for years to come.

The bottom line

When debt gets out of control, it affects your everyday life. When you get to the point that opportunities pass you by and you’re constantly thinking about those high balances, it’s time to take action. Life is both too short and too long to live with crippling debt.