Your accountant did their job. The bank punished you.
They wrote off the truck, the tools, the office and the travel. Your taxable income came out low, which is what you paid them for.
Then a bank read that same return and said no.
Send 12 months of statements. No credit check to start.
- Your return shows almost no profit
- You are paid on 1099 or by commission
- Your money comes from several places
- Your business is under two years old
- A bank already turned you down
A self employed mortgage looks at the money that reaches your account, not the figure left after write offs.
Licensed mortgage broker · NMLS 179997
Office in Vienna, Virginia
We speak 8 languages
The problem is the paperwork, not your money.
- Underwriting looks at the profit left after write-offs, not your total business income.
- The tax strategy that saves you money can also reduce your self employed mortgage qualifying income.
- About 43% of denied purchase applications in 2025 cited too much debt relative to income.
- A lower reported income can make qualifying harder, even when you can comfortably afford the payment.
- The issue is often that traditional underwriting is designed around W-2 income.
- A self employed mortgage through a non-QM loan can offer more flexible underwriting because the lender keeps the loan instead of selling it.
Which one of these is you?
Almost every self employed mortgage starts in one of these six spots. Find the one closest to your business.
Your return shows almost nothing
Sales are healthy. Profit after write offs for gear, vehicles and the office is not. A bank statement loan counts deposits instead, and a 10% down payment is often enough.
You are paid on 1099s
Your 1099 income is strong and your net is much lower. A self employed mortgage built on 1099 income uses the gross with a set allowance, which lifts your qualifying income.
Your money comes from several places
Rideshare, delivery, contracts, agency work. A profit and loss sheet from your accountant can carry the file with no tax returns.
Your business is under two years old
Banks want two years. Some non QM loan lenders will write a self employed mortgage on twelve months, and which ones is not published anywhere.
Your money is invested, not paid to you
Asset depletion turns savings into qualifying income by spreading it over a set term, with no tax returns involved. Not every lender offers asset depletion.
A bank already said no
That was about paperwork, not whether you can pay. A non QM loan lender sets its own rules, so one no says nothing about the next.
A bank checks income one way. We check it five.
If your money does not arrive the way a bank expects, they stop. A self employed mortgage just uses a different way.
Full doc
Tax returns and W-2s. Cheapest when your paperwork fits, so we test it before any bank statement loan.
Bank statements
Twelve or 24 months of deposits on a bank statement loan, no tax returns at all. Most bank statement loan files land here.
Profit and loss
A sheet from your accountant, no tax returns, no redoing your books. It carries the same qualifying income weight.
Your 1099s
Gross 1099 income with a set allowance, often the highest qualifying income of the three.
Your assets
Asset depletion where your wealth is invested rather than paid out as salary.
Here is how a bank statement loan counts your money. The lender adds your deposits, removes transfers, then takes off an expense factor of roughly 10% to 50%, set by your trade.
What is left, divided by the months, becomes the qualifying income on your bank statement loan. That expense factor is where files are won. A service business should not be assumed to spend half its income, and arguing the expense factor is worth tens of thousands a year.
A bank has one answer. We have several.
Expect a down payment of 10% to 20%, a credit score from 620, and a rate a little above a normal loan. A bigger down payment buys a better rate here than elsewhere, and a strong credit score does the same.
We test full doc first
If your returns already work you should not pay non QM loan pricing, or a bigger down payment. We check that first.
We argue the expense factor
A low cost business should not carry a restaurant expense factor. Most borrowers never know it is negotiable.
We know who takes twelve months
Business age rules differ by lender and none are published. A stronger credit score widens the list further.
We plan your exit at the start
Many people hold a self employed mortgage two or three years, then move to a normal loan once the returns catch up.
SAI Mortgage, Inc.
Is committed to helping you find the right mortgage product for your needs, whether you’re exploring a home mortgage loan, considering a home mortgage loan in Virginia, or comparing other financing options. We understand that every borrower is different, and we offer a variety of products to meet your individual requirements, ensuring you receive guidance that fits your unique financial goals.
Three steps. That is it.
Most people are pre-approved within two days.
Tell us how you get paid
A short call, in your language if you like. No credit check yet.
We shop it for you
We check many lenders and send you what you qualify for, in writing.
You get the keys
We handle the rest and close on the date you need.
Licensed in Virginia, DC and Maryland.
From our office in Vienna, we serve buyers across the Commonwealth — and your file follows you if you move across state lines.
Northern Virginia
I-95 Corridor
Hampton Roads
Central & Western Virginia
What people ask us first.
The questions that come up on almost every call.
Do I really give no tax returns?
On a bank statement loan, 1099 or profit and loss program, yes. No tax returns means no returns, not no paperwork.
How many months of statements?
Twelve or 24 on a bank statement loan. Twelve is easier to gather. 24 often prices better and smooths a seasonal business.
Personal or business accounts?
Either, sometimes both. Business accounts carry an expense factor. Personal accounts taking owner draws are often treated better, which lifts your qualifying income.
What credit score do I need?
From 620 in most cases. Pricing improves at 680 and again at 720, and a higher credit score can also lower the down payment.
Can I buy a rental this way?
Yes, and there may be a better route. A DSCR loan qualifies a rental on its own rent, with no income paperwork and a down payment of 20% to 25%.
Send twelve months. We tell you what fits.
No credit pull to start. We tell you which paperwork fits your business before anything is run.
Most of our self employed mortgage files come from owners, contractors and consultants across Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun and Montgomery counties.