Self-Employed Mortgage. 3.5% Down. No Tax Returns.
A mortgage built for self-employed buyers. You qualify on what your business really earns, not on your tax return. 3.5% down, not 20%.
Reviewed by Chris Harris, NMLS #2011725 · Updated
- Rate: a real number on the call, not a teaser.
- Worksheet: you fill it in. No CPA.
How it stacks up
The only program with 3.5% down and no tax returns.
| ConventionalConv. | FHA | Bank StatementBank Stmt | Self-Employed 3.5% DownOurs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Down payment | 3.5–5% | 3.5% | 15–20% | 3.5% |
| Tax returns | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Income proof | Tax return | Tax return | 12–24 mo. statements | 12–24 mo. income worksheet |
| Self-employed friendly | Often no | Often no | Yes | Yes |
| Time to close | 30–45 days | 30–45 days | 21–30 days | 21–30 days |
Already shopping a bank statement loan?
Then you already qualify the alt-doc way. The catch is 20% down. We do the same type of approval on your business income, at 3.5% down.
Who this is for
Bank statement loan shoppers
Same approval, 3.5% down instead of 20%. Keep the cash in your business.
Owners with big write-offs
Your tax return shows a small number. Your income worksheet shows the real one. We use the real one.
Want to save money?
Put 3.5% down instead of 20% and keep about $82,500 on a $500K home.
No tax returns
A one-page income worksheet takes their place.
No CPA letter
You fill out the worksheet. We send the template.
Any business type
Sole prop, LLC, S-Corp or partnership. 24 months of income is all it takes.
How it works
Send your Business Income Worksheet
24 months. You fill it in. No CPA.
Real pre-qual in 24 hours
Soft pull only. An honest yes or no.
Close in 21 to 30 days
Once you're under contract, we move fast.
This is the whole income document.
One page per year: what you made, minus what you spent. You fill it in, sign it and date it. No accountant. No tax returns. (Lenders call this a P&L.)
Almost no other lender approves a 3.5%-down mortgage on this one sheet.
| Income — Services | $142,000 |
| Total Income | $142,000 |
| Material and Parts | $31,000 |
| Fuel and Vehicle Expenses | $9,500 |
| Misc / Other | $2,500 |
| Total Expenses | $43,000 |
| Profit | $99,000 |
Three expense lines and the rest blank. That is a complete worksheet.
Founded by Chris Harris — UCLA-trained electrical engineer, NASA veteran, inventor of a life-saving robotic medical device. Best Finance was built to bring engineering rigor to mortgage lending.
The Lesson
The worksheet almost always shows more income than a tax return for the same business. That gap is the whole point.
Frequently asked questions
Who fills out the income worksheet?
What's the rate?
Is it hard to qualify?
Why is the worksheet different from my tax returns?
Do I really not need tax returns?
Get a real answer in 24 hours.
Other lenders don't understand self-employed income. We do.
NMLS# 2011725 · Best Finance · Equal Housing Opportunity. All loans subject to credit approval and underwriting. Rates, terms, and program availability subject to change without notice. Not a commitment to lend.