Your job shapes how a lender reads your income. These guides go trade by trade — how your earnings qualify, which write-offs help or hurt, the loan that fits, and the mistake that sinks applications in your field. Built for self-employed and 1099 workers.
1099 commission income, fluctuating closings, and the two-year averaging trap that catches agents in a rising market.
Owner-operator vs. company driver, per-diem deductions, and the fuel-and-depreciation write-offs that gut qualifying income.
Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart income — short history, 1099-K reporting, and the mileage deduction that erases your net.
Project-based, irregular income from contracts and platforms — feast-or-famine months and 1099-NEC reporting.
Booth-rent vs. salon-owner income, cash tips that go unreported, and the write-offs on product and chair rent.
Wedding and event seasonality, heavy gear depreciation, and deposit timing that confuses a 12-month average.
Contract-to-contract assignments, tax-free stipends that don't count as income, and employment gaps between placements.
High income through an S-corp or partnership, heavy equipment depreciation, and practice debt that complicates the file.
Clean retainer or project income, but solo and 1099 — strong earners who still trip on the two-year rule.
Material costs, subcontractor 1099s, seasonal slowdowns, and equipment depreciation that buries net income.
Razor-thin margins, cash handling, and aggressive write-offs that leave little taxable profit to qualify on.
Multi-platform income, lender unfamiliarity with the model, short history, and volatile month-to-month payouts.
Etsy, Amazon FBA and Shopify income — inventory and COGS, 1099-K reporting, and seasonal Q4 spikes.
Capital-gains income lenders are wary of, no W-2 or 1099, and why asset-based programs often fit better than income ones.