Kentucky USDA Guideline Changes for Income, Student Loans, and total debt ratios.

 

Updated HB-1-3555, Chapter 11, Ratio Analysis

The Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) is pleased to announce revisions to technical HB-1-3555, Chapter 11, Ratio Analysis. An advance copy of the proposed changes was made available on July 20, 2021.  These changes became effective upon the recent issuance of a Procedure Notice (PN).  Below are the highlighted revisions:

Chapter 11- Ratio Analysis

11.2 B. The Total Debt Ratio:

  • Student Loans: Removed the phrase “the greater of” from Non-Fixed payment loans and added guidance regarding “when the payment is above zero” and “when the payment is zero”.
  • Revolving accounts: “with no outstanding balance” are not required to be closed.
  • Mortgages: Rental Property - Eliminated language regarding omission of mortgage debt.  Guidance for entry of rental income in GUS is provided in the GUS Lender User Guide under Section 4.1.4.1.1, Retained Investment Properties.
  • Added: Debt management plans:
    • Include the monthly payment amount due from the counseling plan.
    • Refer to Chapter 10 for guidance on credit exception and documentation requirements.

11.3 DEBT RATIO WAIVERS AND COMPENSATING FACTORS

A. Purchase Transactions: Debt Ratio Waivers

  • GUS Refer, Refer with Caution, and manually underwritten loans without GUS assistance:
    • Added: “The lender must document eligible compensating factors to support a debt ratio waiver.”
    • Added: “all” of the following conditions are met to the first paragraph.
  • Debt Ratio Waiver Request and Agency Approval:
    • Added: “The issuance of the Conditional Commitment for a Loan Note Guarantee represents Agency approval of the ratio waiver.”

B. Refinance Transactions: Debt Ratio Waivers

  • Added a bullet:  GUS files that receive a GUS recommendation of Refer, Refer with Caution, or are not supported by GUS, require debt ratio waivers, and supporting documentation must be submitted to the Agency.
  • Added: “The issuance of the Conditional Commitment for a Loan Note Guarantee represents Agency approval of the ratio waiver”. 

11.7 OBLIGATIONS NOT INCLUDED IN DEBT-TO-INCOME RATIOS

  • Added: "unless a payment plan is in place" to the second bullet concerning Federal, state, and local taxes.



Joel Lobb
Mortgage Loan Officer
Individual NMLS ID #57916

American Mortgage Solutions, Inc.

Text/call:      502-905-3708
fax:            502-327-9119
email:
          kentuckyloan@gmail.com