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🏦 Self-Employed Financing

Bank Statement Loans

Qualify on the deposits that actually land in your account — not on the net figure at the bottom of a tax return.

12 or 24
Months of Statements
None
Tax Returns Required
$3M
Maximum Loan Amount
620
Minimum FICO
Built for the Way Self-Employed Income Actually Works

If you are self-employed, your tax return is prepared to show the smallest income the law allows. That is sound tax planning and terrible mortgage qualifying — the same deductions that save you money in April are what a conventional underwriter subtracts from your income in June.

A bank statement loan sidesteps the problem by looking at deposits rather than net profit. Twelve or twenty-four months of statements replace the tax returns entirely.

How the Income Calculation Works

Qualifying deposits across the statement period are totalled, then an expense factor is applied to arrive at a monthly income figure.

24 monthsStatement period reviewed
$40,000Average monthly deposits
50%Expense factor applied
$20,000Qualifying monthly income

Where the expense factor comes from. It depends on your industry and whether the statements are personal or business accounts. A service business with low overhead carries a different factor than one carrying inventory or payroll. A CPA letter documenting your actual expense ratio can improve the figure used.

Twelve Months or Twenty-Four?
📅
Shorter window

12-month programs

Average over the most recent year only. This helps when your business grew recently, or when an earlier year was weak enough to drag a longer average down.

  • Reflects recent performance
  • Useful after a growth year
  • Fewer statements to gather
📆
Smoother average

24-month programs

Average across two years, which evens out seasonality and one-off months. For a stable business this usually produces the stronger and more defensible number.

  • Smooths seasonal swings
  • Often better for established businesses
  • Demonstrates a longer track record
What You Can Finance
🏡
Primary

Your own home

Bank statement financing is not investor-only. It works for the house you live in.

  • Primary residence purchase or refinance
  • Second homes and vacation property
  • Cash-out refinancing available
  • Interest-only options available
🏘️
Investment

Rental property

Finance investment property when your returns understate what the business actually earns.

  • Investment property purchase
  • Refinance and cash-out
  • Combine with an investor-focused structure
  • Loan amounts to $3 million
👔
Who it fits

Business owners and contractors

Built for borrowers with real income and complicated returns.

  • Business owners and partners
  • Independent contractors and 1099 earners
  • Commission-based earners
  • Gig and freelance income
Common Questions
Can I use personal or business bank statements?
Both are accepted. Business accounts usually give a clearer picture of revenue, while personal accounts can work where business income is deposited directly. The expense factor applied differs between the two.
Is twelve months or twenty-four months better?
It depends on your business. Twenty-four months smooths seasonality and usually suits an established business. Twelve months reflects only recent performance, which helps if you have grown recently or had one weak earlier year.
What counts as a qualifying deposit?
Deposits representing genuine business revenue. Transfers between your own accounts, loan proceeds, tax refunds and other one-off non-business deposits are normally excluded so the same money is not counted twice.
Do I need a letter from my CPA?
Not always. A CPA letter documenting your actual expense ratio can improve the expense factor applied to your deposits, which raises qualifying income — so it is often worth obtaining even when it is not strictly required.
Can I use a bank statement loan for my primary residence?
Yes. These programs are not restricted to investment property. Primary residences, second homes and investment property are all eligible.
What credit score do I need?
Programs start at a 620 FICO. As with any file, credit is weighed alongside the deposit history, the down payment and the property rather than treated as a single pass-fail threshold.

Program parameters shown are current as of publication and are subject to change. All financing is subject to credit approval, property review and program availability.

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