Skip to main content
CopperlineHome Loans
(720) 555-0139Run the numbers

Investing · program 10 of 20

Bank Statement Program

Self-employed borrowers often write off so much income on their taxes that traditional loans don't work. Our bank statement program qualifies you on real deposits, not tax returns.

  • Self-employed? Qualify on 12–24 months of bank statements instead of tax returns.
  • Illustrative — this lender is fictional and cannot lend

What it is

What a Bank Statement Program actually is.

The tax code rewards self-employed people for aggressive deductions. The mortgage industry, unfortunately, penalizes them for it. Bank statement loans solve that mismatch.

Instead of looking at your tax returns, we analyze 12 or 24 months of bank deposits to calculate your actual qualifying income. That number is usually far higher than your tax return's adjusted gross income.

These are fully amortizing mortgages, not hard money: terms run up to 30 years and the cash-out option lets an owner move home equity into the business. The trade-off is price. Qualifying on deposits instead of tax returns costs something, and that cost shows up in the rate.


Who it suits

Borrowers this program is built for.

None of these is a rule, and matching every line does not qualify anybody. They are the situations where this program tends to be the one worth pricing first.

  • Self-employed business owners (2+ years)
  • 1099 contractors
  • Freelancers, consultants, and gig workers
  • Anyone whose tax return understates true income

What it gives you

The parts that make it worth choosing.

No Tax Returns

We qualify on deposits to your business or personal bank accounts.

12 or 24 Months

Choose the look-back period that best reflects your income.

Priced Between Two Poles

Bank statement loans sit above conventional pricing and well below short-term hard money — commonly on the order of half a point to a point and a half over conventional, though the spread moves with the market.

Up to 90% LTV

Strong borrowers can finance up to 90% with no MI.


How the process runs

4 stages, in order.

This is the shape of a real file, written for a demonstration. Any timeline, fee or turnaround named below is invented for the example and is not a commitment — no step here can actually be started, because Copperline Home Loans does not exist and holds no license.

  1. Document DepositsProvide 12 or 24 months of statements; we calculate qualifying income.
  2. ApplyStandard application with focus on credit and reserves.
  3. UnderwriteManual underwriting reviews business profitability.
  4. CloseThese files are underwritten by hand rather than by an automated engine, so they generally take longer than a conventional purchase.

Questions

What people ask about this one.

How is income calculated?
Total deposits over the period, multiplied by an expense factor (50%–80%) based on your business type, divided by months.
Do you need tax returns at all?
No tax returns required — just bank statements, business license, and a CPA letter for some programs.
What's the minimum credit score?
Most programs start at 660. Pricing improves as scores rise, and 720 is a common tier boundary on these products.
Can I cash-out refi with this?
Yes — cash-out is available up to 80% LTV on bank statement programs.