Self-employed home buyer in Phoenix? Let's match the loan to how you earn.

Why your tax return matters more than your deposits

You've worked hard for every dollar. It's frustrating when a lender asks for a stack of documents a salaried buyer never sees, then tells you your income is lower than you thought.

Here's why. Most lenders look at your net income, what's left after business expenses, not your total deposits. If you write off a lot, the income a lender counts can be much smaller than the money you see come in. That's the gap most self-employed buyers don't see coming.

How many years? Most full-documentation loans want two years of tax returns. Some lenders accept one year when the business has a longer track record. A business only a few months old is harder.

I read your returns line by line, including add-backs a program allows, like depreciation. Then I show you what a lender will count before you write an offer. self-employed loans

Buying a rental instead? That's a different loan. investors

Partnerships, S-corps, and more than one business

If you own part of a partnership or an S-corp, you get a K-1, a tax form that shows your share of the business income. Lenders ask an extra question here: did that money actually reach you, or did it stay in the company? Some programs only count what you can show you received.

Own more than one business? That's common. Plenty of Phoenix contractors run their crew through one company and their rentals through another. Tell me about each one up front.

Spouse with a regular paycheck? That income can make the loan simpler. Savings matter too. Lenders often want money left over after closing, called reserves, especially when income goes up and down.

When your tax return undersells your business

Some lenders offer bank statement loans. Instead of relying only on your tax return, they look at your business deposits over 12 or 24 months, then apply an expense factor or use a profit and loss statement. They exist because a healthy business can legally show a small profit on paper.

They still take real paperwork. Deposits need to look like business income, and large transfers need an explanation. If business and personal money share one account, tell me. It can take some cleanup first.

These loans usually cost more than a full-documentation loan. That can still be the right trade when your returns undersell your cash flow. If your documented income already works, we use the simpler loan.

A longer document list, made easier

I'll ask for tax returns, a year-to-date profit and loss statement, K-1s, business formation papers, bank statements, and sometimes a CPA letter. You'll get one clear list, so you're not hunting for PDFs every week. Filed an extension or on an IRS payment plan? Tell me early.

The home matters too. Some condos and unique properties have extra rules. If your loan is above the 2026 conforming loan limit of $832,750 for a one-unit home, jumbo rules apply. jumbo buyers

Your plan: 1. Tell me how you earn and what you want to buy. 2. I review your returns and show you which path fits. 3. We close on time. Start with the Pre-Approval Checklist plus your last two tax returns. pre-approval checklist

Picture it: you get the keys knowing your business got you here, and no one made you pretend to be a salaried employee.

Nearby situations

• Investors investors
• Jumbo buyers jumbo buyers
• Moving to Arizona relocating to Arizona