Why the bank says “NO” (and why there may be another way)
Your accountant’s job is to minimise tax.
A bank’s job is to lend based on verified income.
For many self-employed borrowers, that creates a gap.
On paper, your taxable income may look modest because of depreciation, retained earnings, legitimate business expenses, or reinvestment back into growth.
But your real cashflow tells a different story.
That’s what we assess.
We work with lenders who understand business financials and allow for structured income assessment using add-backs and alternative documentation where appropriate.
How we get self-employed deals approved
- Add-backs — We add back legitimate non-cash or one-off expenses such as depreciation, interest costs, and abnormal items to reflect your true servicing position.
- Low doc and alternative verification — Some lenders can assess income using GST returns, business bank statements, or accountant declarations where full financials are not available.
- Look-forward assessment — In certain cases, lenders will consider year-to-date trading performance instead of relying solely on financial statements that may be 12–24 months old.
Specialised lending for business owners
We understand business structures and how income flows.
In many cases, we can also review your existing lending structure to ensure it’s aligned with your business, your long-term asset protection goals, and potential tax efficiency strategies, working alongside your accountant where appropriate.
- Shareholder salaries and retained earnings — We know how to structure income from companies correctly.
- Contractors and PAYE contractors — IT professionals, tradies, consultants, healthcare contractors. We understand variable income and fixed-term contracts.
- GST registered businesses — GST returns can help verify turnover where suitable.
- Newer businesses — Trading less than two years does not automatically mean decline. There are lender options depending on strength of performance and industry.
- Debt restructuring and asset protection — Where appropriate, we can review existing home and business lending to help separate risk, improve structure, and potentially create more efficient interest allocation.
Let’s talk business
Book a free confidential review with a Senior Broker who understands self-employed lending.
