Self-Employed & Business Owners
Your income doesn't fit a T4 box. That's not a problem.
Business owners, contractors and commission earners get declined for presentation, not for affordability. My job is to present your income the way lenders need to read it.
Write-offs help at tax time. They hurt at mortgage time.
If you've built your business to minimize taxable income, your tax returns understate what you actually earn. Bank branch staff often stop reading there.
I work with lenders who understand business income — and I structure your file so your real earning capacity is visible and documented.
Income documentation
Notices of assessment, financial statements, contracts and bank statements — organized into a file that reads clearly.
Add-backs where they apply
Certain deductions can be added back to qualifying income. Which ones depends on the lender — knowing that is the work.
Lender matching
Bank, credit union, monoline or alternative — I place your file where its strengths count and its shape isn't penalized.
Newly incorporated?
Less than two years of business history narrows the options, but it doesn't close the door. There are paths — we map them.
Who this is for
Incorporated owners
Salary, dividends, retained earnings — all part of the picture.
Sole proprietors
Trades, consultants and freelancers filing business income personally.
Commission earners
Variable income that averages out well over two or three years.
Contractors
Fixed-term contracts and invoiced work with a documented history.
"As a self-employed client I expected a headache. She made it straightforward and knew exactly which documents mattered."
★★★★★ — Clinton Bradshaw · Google review
Common questions
How many years of business history do I need?+
Two years is the conventional benchmark, and it opens the widest set of options. With less history there are still lenders to work with — the terms and down payment expectations shift.
Which documents should I gather?+
Typically two years of notices of assessment and tax returns, business financial statements, articles of incorporation or business registration, and recent business bank statements. I'll send a specific list for your situation.
Will I pay a higher rate?+
Not necessarily. Well-documented self-employed files often qualify at standard rates. Where a premium applies, I'll tell you exactly why and what would remove it.
My bank declined me. Is that final?+
No. One lender's decline is one lender's policy. It's often worth reviewing what was submitted and how — the same income can qualify elsewhere.