🔔 New: the 1099 & freelance mortgage guide is live — qualify without W-2s.Read it →
Mortgage Merlin
30-YR CONV6.47%▼0.05
FHA6.25%▼0.05
BANK-STMT7.31%▼0.05
DSCR7.66%▼0.05
JUMBO6.50%▼0.05
15-YR5.81%▼0.03
ITIN7.96%▼0.05
30-YR CONV6.47%▼0.05
FHA6.25%▼0.05
BANK-STMT7.31%▼0.05
DSCR7.66%▼0.05
JUMBO6.50%▼0.05
15-YR5.81%▼0.03
ITIN7.96%▼0.05
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Underwriting readiness score

Lenders judge self-employed borrowers on income, credit, documentation, and reserves. Answer eight quick questions to see where you stand on a 0–100 scale — and get a printable checklist of exactly what to gather.

How do you earn most of your income?
How long have you been self-employed?
Does your tax-return net income cover the payment you want?
What's your credit score?
Do you have 24 months of U.S. bank statements?
Do you work with a CPA or accountant?
Down payment + reserves available?
When do you want to buy?
/ 100 ready
Nearly ready
Know the exact income a lender will count before you apply. Income calculator

Illustrative self-assessment — not a pre-approval, credit decision, or financial advice.

Your document checklist

Tailored to your answers above. Gather these before you apply — having them ready is half the battle.

Get the full mortgage-ready toolkit

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What “mortgage-ready” actually means

For a W-2 borrower, readiness is mostly about credit and down payment. For self-employed, 1099, ITIN, and investor borrowers, it’s a wider checklist: two years of returns, a current profit-and-loss statement, a CPA relationship, seasoned reserves, and a credit profile that clears program floors. Most denials in this segment aren’t “no” — they’re “not yet, and here’s what’s missing.”

Your score weights the factors lenders actually care about and turns your weakest spots into next steps. The document checklist below the score adapts to your answers, so an investor sees lease and DSCR items while a bank-statement borrower sees deposit-history items. Your answers save on this device so you can come back as you close gaps — nothing is sent anywhere unless you opt in by email.

Pair it with the math. Once you know you’re close, confirm the income a lender will count with the self-employed income calculator, and map the months ahead with the 12-month prep timeline.

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