Self-Employed • 1099 • Business Owners • Updated Q2 2025

The Bank Said No. We Say Watch This.

You built a business. You write things off. Your tax return looks broke on paper — but your bank account tells a completely different story. We qualify you on reality, not paperwork.

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4Income Programs
35States Available
90%Max LTV
620Min FICO
$3.5MMax Loan

If Any of These Sound Like You — You Qualify

Traditional lenders use tax returns to measure income. Smart lenders use bank statements, 1099s, and real cash flow. Here's who we serve.

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Business Owners

You own 25%+ of a business, write off everything legitimately, and show low taxable income. Your bank account tells the real story.

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Freelancers & Contractors

Consultants, designers, developers, and agency owners who receive 1099s instead of W-2s and don't have two years of "clean" tax returns.

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Gig Economy Workers

Rideshare, delivery, app-based income. If you receive 1099-K or 1099-NEC and your deposits are consistent, there's a program for you.

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Real Estate Investors

You already use depreciation and expenses to reduce AGI. A bank statement or P&L loan separates your investing income from your paper losses.

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Entertainers & Creatives

Actors, athletes, musicians, content creators — irregular but real income that tax returns misrepresent. We work with what actually hits your account.

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Medical & Legal Professionals

Doctors, attorneys, dentists with practice ownership structures. High income, complex returns, write-offs that tank your qualifying income on paper.

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Commission-Based Earners

Realtors, mortgage professionals, financial advisors, sales professionals with variable W-2 or 1099 income that banks penalize unfairly.

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Foreign Nationals

Non-US citizens investing in US real estate. No US tax returns required. Qualify based on property income or asset position.

The System Was Built for W-2 Employees

Conventional underwriting was designed for employees. If you're self-employed, it actively works against you.

Conventional Lender

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Requires 2 years tax returns — your write-offs reduce your qualifying income drastically

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Uses net income after deductions — depreciation, home office, vehicle, retirement all count against you

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Rigid DTI calculations — even if you have $50K/mo hitting your account, they see $8K on paper

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2-year self-employment history required — new business owners don't qualify at all

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Fannie/Freddie guidelines — no flexibility, no exceptions, no common sense

Portfolio DSCR Loans

12 or 24 months bank statements — we use actual deposits, not what you wrote off

1099-only programs — your 1099s used directly, no schedule C reduction

P&L statement accepted — CPA-prepared profit & loss can replace tax returns entirely

1-year self-employed options available — newer business owners can still qualify

Non-QM flexibility — underwriters use common sense, not checkbox compliance

Sound familiar?

Tell Jordan your situation. We price these scenarios daily and find a path when banks can't.

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How We Calculate Your Income

Instead of your tax return's bottom line, we look at what actually flows through your accounts. Here's the math — it's simpler than you think.

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Free Tool

Self-Employed Income Calculator Guide

Know your qualifying income before you apply. We'll send you the exact formula lenders use to calculate your bank statement income.

✓ Check your inbox!
Bank Statement Method
1
Add up all eligible deposits from 12 or 24 months of statements
2
Apply expense ratio: Personal account = 100% of deposits. Business account = typically 50% (can be reduced with CPA letter)
3
Divide by number of months to get average monthly qualifying income
4
Lender calculates DTI using that number — not your tax return
Example — Business Account, 12 Months
Total deposits (12 mo)$480,000
Expense ratio applied50%
Qualifying deposits$240,000
Divided by 12 months÷ 12
Monthly qualifying income$20,000/mo
1099 Income Method
1
Provide 1 or 2 years of 1099 forms — no Schedule C reduction applied
2
Lender averages gross 1099 income — write-offs don't count against you
3
Must show 2-year history with same or similar employer/client base (1-year option available on select programs)
4
Result is used as qualifying income for DTI — significantly higher than tax return method
Example — 1099 Contractor, 2 Years
Year 1 gross 1099$180,000
Year 2 gross 1099$210,000
2-year average$195,000/yr
Monthly qualifying income$16,250/mo
P&L Statement Method
1
CPA or licensed accountant prepares a 12-month Profit & Loss statement
2
Lender uses net profit from P&L — not tax return net income — as qualifying income
3
Great for borrowers with higher actual profitability than tax returns show due to timing or depreciation
4
Some programs combine P&L + bank statements for the strongest possible income picture
Example — LLC Owner, P&L Only
P&L gross revenue (12 mo)$360,000
P&L expenses (12 mo)$120,000
Net profit$240,000/yr
Monthly qualifying income$20,000/mo

Four Ways to Qualify Without Tax Returns

Each program uses a different income documentation method. Jordan will identify which fits your situation and which gets you the best terms.

01
Bank Statement Loan
12 or 24 months personal or business
Min FICO620
Max LTV90%
Max Loan$3.5M
Income Doc12–24 mo bank stmts
Expense Ratio50% biz / 100% personal
Self-Emp History1–2 years
Property TypesPrimary, 2nd Home, Investment
Terms30yr, 40yr, ARM, IO
⭐ Best for: Business owners with strong deposit history. Personal accounts = 100% of deposits counted — no expense ratio reduction.
02
1099 Income Loan
1–2 years of 1099 statements only
Min FICO640
Max LTV85%
Max Loan$3M
Income Doc1–2 years 1099 forms
Tax ReturnsNot Required
Employer HistorySame employer 2 years
Property TypesPrimary, 2nd Home, Investment
Terms30yr Fixed, ARM, IO
⭐ Best for: Independent contractors, freelancers, realtors, consultants with consistent 1099 income from one or two main clients.
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P&L Statement Loan
CPA-prepared profit & loss only
Min FICO660
Max LTV85%
Max Loan$3M
Income Doc12-month CPA P&L
Tax ReturnsNot Required
Business Age2+ years operating
Property TypesPrimary, 2nd Home, Investment
Terms30yr, 40yr, ARM, IO
⭐ Best for: LLC and S-Corp owners whose net profit on a CPA P&L is higher than their tax return AGI due to depreciation or timing differences.
04
Asset Depletion Loan
Liquid assets used as qualifying income
Min FICO680
Max LTV80%
Max Loan$3M+
Income DocAsset statements only
How It WorksAssets ÷ 360 mo = income
Eligible AssetsBank, brokerage, retirement
Property TypesPrimary, 2nd Home, Investment
Terms30yr Fixed, ARM, IO
⭐ Best for: High net worth borrowers, retirees, or investors with significant liquid assets but minimal documented income. No employment required.
ProgramMin FICOMax LTV PurchaseMax LTV RefiMax LoanIncome Doc NeededTax Returns?Self-Emp HistoryDTI MaxBest Property
Bank Statement 12mo 620 90% 80% $3.5M 12 mo stmts No 1 year min 50% Primary, Investment
Bank Statement 24mo 620 90% 80% $3.5M 24 mo stmts No 2 years min 50% Primary, Investment
1099 Only — 1 Year 660 85% 75% $2M 1 year 1099s No 1 year same employer 50% Primary, 2nd Home
1099 Only — 2 Year 640 85% 80% $3M 2 years 1099s No 2 years consistent 55% Primary, 2nd Home, Investment
P&L Statement 660 85% 75% $3M 12-mo CPA P&L No 2 years in business 50% Primary, Investment
Asset Depletion 680 80% 75% $3M+ Asset statements No None required 45% Primary, 2nd Home, Investment
Bank Stmt + DSCR Combo 660 80% 75% $3M Bank stmts + rent roll No 1 year min 50% Investment only
Not sure which program fits your income type?

Jordan will identify the right structure and pull live pricing — usually same day.

Find My Program →
Free Download

Self-Employed Mortgage Checklist — What Underwriters Actually Want

Run through this before you apply. Clean files close faster and with fewer conditions. Know exactly what to prepare.

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Find Your Situation

Real scenarios mapped to the right program. We price these every single day.

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LLC Owner — Low AGI, High Deposits

Strong business, aggressive write-offs

FICO720
Tax return AGI$48K — bank denied
Monthly deposits$35,000/mo
PropertyPrimary home, $550K
⭐ Best Match: Bank Statement 24mo — 50% expense ratio = $17,500/mo qualifying. Approves at $550K easily.
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Freelance Developer

1099 income, one main client, 3 years

FICO690
1099 Income$185K yr1 / $210K yr2
Tax return AGI$82K after deductions
PropertyPrimary home, $480K
⭐ Best Match: 1099 Only — 2 Year — $16,250/mo qualifying. No tax returns. No Schedule C.
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Investor + Self-Employed

Business owner buying rental property

FICO710
Business deposits$28K/mo avg
Rental DSCR1.10
PropertyInvestment SFR, $400K
⭐ Best Match: Bank Stmt + DSCR Combo — combines your business income with rental cash flow for maximum qualifying power.
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High Net Worth, Retired

$2.8M in assets, minimal income on paper

FICO780
Liquid Assets$2.8M (brokerage + bank)
W-2 Income$0 — retired
Property2nd home, $900K
⭐ Best Match: Asset Depletion — $2.8M ÷ 360 = $7,777/mo qualifying income. No employment. No income docs.

New Business Owner — 14 Months

Left corporate job, started LLC last year

FICO700
Self-Emp History14 months
Monthly deposits$22,000/mo
PropertyPrimary home, $420K
⭐ Best Match: Bank Statement 12mo — 1-year self-employment accepted on select programs. $11K/mo qualifying at 50% ratio.
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Medical Practice Owner

High gross revenue, high deductions, low AGI

FICO740
Practice revenue$680K/yr gross
Tax return AGI$95K after expenses
PropertyPrimary home, $1.1M
⭐ Best Match: P&L Statement — CPA prepares P&L showing real net profit. Dramatically higher qualifying income than tax return.
Your situation is unique. So is our approach.

Bring us the hard ones. We price non-QM scenarios every day.

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Your Tax Return Doesn't Tell the Whole Story. We Do.

Fill out the form and Jordan will identify the right program, pull live pricing, and tell you exactly what you qualify for. No hard credit pull. No commitment.

  • No W-2s or tax returns required
  • Bank statements, 1099s, or P&L accepted
  • Primary home, 2nd home, or investment property
  • Close in 21–30 days on clean files
  • LLC, S-Corp, or individual borrower
  • Purchase or cash-out refinance
📞 Call Jordan — (913) 543-0875 💬 Text Jordan

Jordan Syers • NMLS #1211031 • Guthix Lending LLC • Licensed in CA, DC, FL, KS, MD, MO, OK, PA, TX, VA

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Terms Every Self-Employed Borrower Should Know

Know the language before you apply.

Non-QM Loan
Non-Qualified Mortgage. A loan that doesn't meet Fannie/Freddie guidelines — specifically designed for borrowers with complex income like self-employed, investors, and foreign nationals.
Bank Statement Loan
Mortgage that qualifies income using 12–24 months of bank deposits instead of tax returns. Personal accounts counted at 100%; business accounts typically at 50% after expense ratio.
1099 Income Loan
Uses 1099 forms as sole income documentation. Gross 1099 income is used without Schedule C reduction — significantly higher qualifying income than tax return method.
Expense Ratio
The percentage of business deposits a lender assumes goes to business expenses. Standard is 50%. A CPA expense letter can reduce this, increasing your qualifying income.
P&L Statement
Profit & Loss statement prepared by a CPA. Shows gross revenue minus business expenses. Some programs use this instead of tax returns or bank statements.
Asset Depletion
A qualification method where liquid assets are divided by 360 months to create a monthly income figure. No employment or income required — just assets.
DTI (Debt-to-Income)
Your monthly debt obligations divided by your qualifying monthly income. Non-QM programs typically allow up to 50–55% DTI vs. 43–45% conventional maximum.
AGI (Adjusted Gross Income)
Your taxable income after deductions on your tax return. For self-employed borrowers this is often far lower than actual cash flow — exactly why bank statement loans exist.
Schedule C
IRS form for sole proprietor business income. Conventional lenders use Schedule C net profit — often dramatically lower than gross revenue due to legitimate deductions.
CPA Letter
Letter from a Certified Public Accountant confirming business existence, ownership percentage, and expense ratio. Can improve qualifying income on bank statement loans.
LTV (Loan-to-Value)
Loan amount as a % of property value. Non-QM self-employed programs go up to 90% LTV — higher than most expect for alternative doc loans.
ITIN Loan
Mortgage for borrowers with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number instead of a Social Security Number. Non-QM programs available for non-permanent residents.