Loan programs
Bank statement loans for self-employed borrowers
If you’re self-employed, your tax returns may not reflect what you really earn. A bank statement loan qualifies you on the deposits into your personal or business accounts instead. As a broker working with dozens of wholesale lenders, we can compare programs that treat self-employed income very differently.
Reviewed by Clint Aguon, CEO & Loan Officer · NMLS #1893008 · Updated September 2026
How it works
- Deposits instead of tax returns. The lender reviews 12 or 24 months of bank statements to calculate your qualifying income.
- Personal or business accounts. Business statements usually have an expense factor applied, or are paired with a profit-and-loss statement.
- Purchase or refinance. Use it to buy a home, refinance, or take cash out, for a primary residence, second home or investment property.
- Non-QM pricing. Bank statement loans sit outside standard agency guidelines, so pricing is usually higher than a conventional loan. It can still be the right tool when conventional documentation won’t show your true income.
Who it fits
- Business owners and 1099 contractors
- Real estate agents, consultants and other commission-based professionals
- Borrowers with significant write-offs or recent business growth
Other options for non-traditional income
We also arrange asset-based loans, which qualify you on your savings and investments, and DSCR loans for rental properties, which qualify on the property’s rent. And if your tax returns do show strong income, a conventional loan is often the lower-cost choice — we’ll price both.
Bank statement loan FAQs
Who is a bank statement loan for?
Business owners, freelancers, contractors, real estate agents and other self-employed borrowers whose tax returns show less income than they actually earn, often because of write-offs.
Can I use personal or business bank statements?
Either, depending on the program. With business statements, lenders usually apply an expense factor or use a profit-and-loss statement to estimate your income.
Can I buy an investment property with a bank statement loan?
Yes. Bank statement loans can be used for a primary residence, second home or investment property. For rentals, a DSCR loan that qualifies on the property’s rent may also fit.