The "Stop Guessing" Document Checklist.
Underwriting is not a mystery. It is a math test. Bring the right documents the first time, and the process moves fast. Bring the wrong ones, and you live in condition-hell.
The Basics (For Everyone)
If you are applying for a mortgage, assume you need these regardless of your loan type.
- Clear, unexpired Government-Issued ID (Driver's License or Passport)
- Last 30 days of paystubs (must show year-to-date income)
- Last 2 years of W-2s
- Last 2 months of bank statements (all pages, even the blank ones)
- Most recent statement for retirement or investment accounts (401k, IRA)
Self-Employed & Business Owners
Your tax returns probably don't tell the whole story, but we still need them to build the strategy.
- Last 2 years of Personal Tax Returns (1040s, all schedules)
- Last 2 years of Business Tax Returns (1120, 1120S, 1065) if you own 25% or more
- All K-1s for the last 2 years
- Year-to-Date Profit & Loss Statement (P&L) and Balance Sheet
- If doing a Bank Statement Loan: 12 to 24 months of consecutive business or personal bank statements
Real Estate Investors
More properties means more paperwork. Let's get it organized upfront.
- Schedule E from your personal tax returns
- Current, signed lease agreements for all rental properties
- Mortgage statements for all owned properties
- Property tax bills and Homeowners Insurance declarations for all properties
- HOA statements (if applicable)
What NOT To Do
- • Do not send screenshots of your bank app from your phone. We need the actual PDF statements.
- • Do not cross out or redact account numbers. Underwriting will reject it.
- • Do not move large amounts of money around without a paper trail. If you have a large deposit, be prepared to source exactly where it came from.