A debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is the percentage of a person’s monthly gross income that is dedicated towards paying back debts. Your DTI ratio is an important piece of data that will help lenders determine the likelihood that you’ll repay a loan.

According to the New York Federal Reserve, America’s household debt is the highest it’s ever been (in nominal dollars), with the previous peak being in 2008. But why? Well, one possible reason is that the current era of low and negative interest rates is tempting many people to load up on mortgages, credit cards, auto loans and student loans.