Quick answer
A lender generally includes student-loan obligations when calculating debt-to-income, even when a loan is deferred, in forbearance or reporting a temporary zero payment. The payment calculation is program-specific.
A documented income-driven payment may be usable in some scenarios, while another program or set of documents may require a calculated payment. Review the actual accounts before estimating purchasing power.
Why the credit-report payment may not settle the question
The report may show a monthly payment, zero, no payment or a figure that does not match the current statement. The lender may request the most recent statement, repayment agreement or servicer documentation to establish status and the required qualifying amount.
Do not remove student loans from a budget simply because payments are paused. Underwriting looks beyond the current cash-flow moment when program rules require it.
Income-driven plans and co-signed debt
Income-driven repayment can produce a lower documented payment, but its treatment varies by mortgage program and the evidence available. A pending application for a new repayment plan is not the same as an established required payment.
A co-signed student loan may still be counted unless the selected program’s exclusion requirements are fully documented. Payment by another person does not automatically remove the obligation.
Prepare the file before shopping
Collect statements for every student-loan account, confirm the repayment status and compare the servicer records with all three credit reports. Tell the lender about consolidation, rehabilitation, forgiveness applications or disputed reporting.
A borrower-specific review can compare programs using the correct payment treatment. General online calculators often cannot account for those differences.