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Get Approved Today

Self-employed & business-owner programs (alternative income verification)

Book a self-employed mortgage review

Get a mortgage that understands how you actually earn your money.

When you run a business, your tax returns are built to be efficient, not to impress a mortgage lender. Write-offs, fluctuating income, retained earnings, dividends, and multiple accounts all make your file harder to read if you don’t know how the underwriting side works. These programs are for self-employed clients and business owners who need someone to translate real business performance into a mortgage application that a lender can approve—without you having to undo good tax planning just to qualify.

How lenders view self-employed and business owners

Most lenders are not just looking at your top-line revenue. They’re asking: Is this income stable? Is it likely to continue? Can we explain it clearly on paper? If we don’t control that story, they will. Before we talk about products, we break down how your situation is likely to be assessed on the credit side.

Business track record and stability

Lenders look at how long you’ve been operating, how consistent your activity is, and whether the business depends on one or two key clients or a broader base. We frame your history—years in business, contracts, repeat customers—so it reads as durable, not risky.

Income patterns, not just last year

They’re usually averaging more than one year of income, and they may be adjusting for big swings. We go through your T1s, NOAs, financial statements, and bank activity to show a pattern: what’s recurring, what’s seasonal, and what should be treated as ongoing instead of one-off.

Personal credit and liquidity position

Even with a strong business, lenders will still look at your personal credit behaviour and available reserves. We review your credit report, current debts, and accessible savings so there are no surprises when the file hits underwriting.

What these programs are designed to solve

The goal is simple: take a file that looks “too complicated” at first glance and present it in a way that fits specific lender guidelines without asking you to pretend you’re a salaried employee. These programs focus on making your true earning power visible, your documentation complete, and your lender choice deliberate.

Make-income-count strategy

We decide how to present your income: straight average from tax returns, adjusted for legitimate add-backs (amortization, certain expenses), or, where appropriate, using alternative documentation like business bank statements or accountant letters in line with lender policy. The aim is to show strength without overreaching.

Document game plan

Instead of chasing paperwork piecemeal, we build a document set up front: corporate financials if incorporated, T1 generals, NOAs, business banking statements, GST/HST summaries, and any key contracts. That reduces back-and-forth and shows the file as organized and credible.

Lender match for your profile

Not every lender evaluates self-employed borrowers the same way. Some lean heavily on net taxable income, others have more flexible programs. We target lenders whose rules fit your reality, rather than trying to force your file into the most rigid box.

From first conversation to approval decision

You don’t need a generic pre-approval; you need a file that has already answered the questions a credit manager is going to ask. The process is structured to get you there.
Step 1

Fact-finding and baseline review

We walk through your business model, ownership structure, typical revenue range, and current obligations. With your consent, we review your credit and recent financial information so we know exactly what we’re working with.
Step 1
Step 2

Numbers translation and structuring

Next, we translate raw figures into lender-friendly language: normalized income, realistic add-backs, and a clear explanation for any dips or spikes. We also decide the mortgage structure (fixed/variable, amortization, term length) that fits both your risk tolerance and cash-flow realities.
Step 2
Step 3

Underwriter-ready submission

Once the plan is clear, we assemble the application so an underwriter can follow the logic quickly. That means a tight summary of your business, clean documentation, and explanations where needed—so your file looks like an opportunity, not a puzzle.
Step 3
Step 4

Conditions, clarifications, and funding

When the lender responds, we deal with conditions efficiently—additional documents, clarifications, or updated statements—and keep the file moving to final approval and funding. You’ll know what’s outstanding, why it’s being asked for, and how close you are to the finish line.
Step 4

Who typically uses these programs

These programs are built for people whose income doesn’t fit neatly into a single T4. The details differ, but the underlying issue is the same: traditional “show us your last two pay stubs” doesn’t work.
selfemployed2

Incorporated owners

If you pay yourself a mix of salary and dividends—or retain earnings in the company—we structure the file so lenders see the full picture, not just the smaller number on your tax line.

Sole proprietors and freelancers

For contractors, consultants, gig workers, and other unincorporated businesses, we show your track record through tax returns and business bank activity, and highlight stability where it exists, even if month-to-month income varies.

Professionals with corporate setups

Doctors, dentists, lawyers, and other professionals often use corporations for tax and liability reasons. We coordinate business statements, T1s, and compensation patterns so the total income story is properly captured.

Entrepreneurs with recent changes

Maybe you left a salaried role to grow your own operation, or merged ventures, or had an unusual year. We explain those transitions in a way that makes sense to a lender instead of letting them guess.

FAQs

Often, yes. It depends on the lender and how much supporting documentation we can provide. The net number on your return matters, but it isn’t always the only thing that counts.
Two full years is common, but there are exceptions. If you have less than that, we look at your specific situation and target the programs that can work with it—or set a timeline to get you there.
Sometimes. The trade-off is between strict income rules and interest cost. We lay both options out so you can decide whether maximum amount or lowest possible rate is more important for this stage.
Big new loans, major changes to how you pay yourself, and unplanned shifts in business structure can all complicate things. We’ll give you a short list of “don’ts” specific to your file.

How to start if you work for yourself or own a company

A strong self-employed or business-owner mortgage file comes from preparation, not luck. The best time to talk is before you’re firm on a purchase or pressed against a renewal date. To begin, it helps to have: A rough outline of your business (what you do, how long you’ve been doing it). Your last two years of T1s and NOAs, if available. Any corporate financial statements or business banking summaries you can easily access. A sense of what you’re trying to do—buy, refinance, or plan ahead. From there, I’ll map how lenders are likely to view your situation, identify the strongest paths, and build a plan to turn your real income into an approval-ready mortgage file.
Schedule your self-employed & business-owner mortgage review
Or send a short email or call with the basics and we’ll take the next step together.
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