For home buyers

    Debt Service Ratio Calculator

    Calculate your Gross Debt Service (GDS) and Total Debt Service (TDS) ratios — the two numbers Canadian lenders use to qualify your mortgage — and see whether they fall within the standard limits.

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    Enter your income and mortgage payment to see your ratios.

    Estimate only. GDS counts mortgage, property tax, heat, and 50% of condo fees; TDS adds all other monthly debts. Insured-mortgage limits are 39.0% GDS and 44.0% TDS; some lenders allow higher with strong credit. Confirm with a lender.

    What the two ratios measure

    Gross Debt Service is your housing burden: mortgage payment, property tax, heat, and half your condo fees, divided by gross income. Total Debt Service starts there and adds every other monthly debt — car payments, credit cards, lines of credit, student loans. Lenders cap GDS near 39% and TDS near 44% for an insured mortgage, and whichever you hit first limits the mortgage you qualify for.

    Small changes move the needle

    Because the ratios are sensitive to monthly obligations, paying off a single loan can change an approval. Clearing a $400 car payment frees up TDS room that can translate into tens of thousands of dollars more mortgage. Running your own numbers before you apply tells you exactly where you stand.

    Keep the picture in one place

    Your debts, your income documents, and your housing costs are the same paperwork a lender will ask for. Keeping a durable record of your home and its finances is the cheapest insurance a homeowner has, and it is what Habyn property records are built to keep, free for homeowners on the Home plan.

    Frequently asked questions

    What are GDS and TDS ratios?

    Gross Debt Service (GDS) is the share of your gross income that goes to housing — mortgage, property tax, heat, and half your condo fees. Total Debt Service (TDS) adds every other debt payment such as car loans and credit cards. Lenders use both to decide how much mortgage you qualify for.

    What are the GDS and TDS limits in Canada?

    For an insured mortgage, GDS is capped at about 39% and TDS at about 44%. Some lenders allow higher ratios for borrowers with strong credit and larger down payments, but the insured-mortgage limits are the common benchmark.

    How do I lower my debt service ratios?

    Pay down other debts to reduce your TDS, choose a smaller mortgage or larger down payment to reduce your GDS, or increase qualifying income. Even clearing a car loan can move your TDS enough to change your approval.

    Why is 50% of condo fees counted?

    Lenders include half of monthly condo or strata fees in the GDS calculation, on the assumption that roughly half covers shared housing costs. This calculator follows that convention.

    See all free Habyn tools.