Last updated: August 2026
Agreement to terms
By using Can I Afford It, you agree to these terms. If you don't agree, please don't use the site.
What this site is
Can I Afford It is a set of calculators that estimate how a purchase or life decision stacks up against your income, credit score, and existing debt. It's meant to help you think before you buy - it isn't financial advice, a loan offer, a credit decision, or a guarantee of approval for anything. For real financial decisions, talk to a licensed financial advisor or your lender.
How the risk score works
It compares your monthly cost (plus any existing debt) to your monthly income, adjusted up or down by your credit score. 10% or less of your income lands as low risk, up to 20% is moderate, up to 36% is elevated, and past that is high. Nothing here comes from a credit bureau or a lender - it's computed entirely from what you type in.
The complete model - the formula, every threshold, the full credit-score multiplier table, how one-time costs are treated, what it deliberately does not account for, and the source and date behind every real-world figure on the site - is written out on How we calculate risk.
No warranty
The site is provided "as is," without warranties of any kind. We don't guarantee the calculators are accurate, complete, or fit for any particular purpose - they're rough estimates based on what you type in and general reference data, not a substitute for professional advice.
Where our numbers come from
That "general reference data" above (never numbers used to judge you) comes from a handful of public sources, kept up to date as they publish new figures. The full list, with the specific release and the date each figure was last verified, is on How we calculate risk. In short:
- Median income by age group - the Bureau of Labor Statistics' earnings survey data.
- Average credit score by generation - Experian's annual credit score report.
- Federal income tax brackets and standard deduction - the IRS, used only if you turn on the "Account for income taxes" setting.
- Social Security and Medicare tax rates - the Social Security Administration, same take-home pay estimate.
- State income tax rates - approximate flat rates per state (cross-checked against the Tax Foundation's state rate comparisons), matched to your ZIP code for the same estimate.
- Cost of living by state - the Bureau of Economic Analysis's Regional Price Parities, used on our cost-of-living comparison card and location-specific calculator pages.
- ZIP code lookup - GeoNames, to match a ZIP code (or city name) you type to a state.
Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent allowed by law, Can I Afford It isn't liable for any decision you make based on what the site shows you, or for any loss connected to your use of the site.
Your account
Signing in is optional and only used to sync your data across devices. You're responsible for keeping your account secure. See the Privacy Policy for how your data is handled.
Who can use this site
This site isn't directed at children under 13.
Changes to these terms
We may update these terms as the site changes. If we do, we'll update the "last updated" date above.
Contact
Can I Afford It is operated by Alex Diaz. Questions about these terms can be sent to contact@caniafford.it.