Self-employed borrowers are often profitable but don't fit a bank's standard two-years-of-tax-returns box. Specialist and alt-doc lenders offer alternative ways to verify income. This is general information only.
The standard hurdle
Most major banks want two consecutive years of personal and company tax returns. If your business is newer than that — or your latest year is much stronger than the prior — you can fall outside their rules.
Alt-doc income verification
Alt-doc (low doc) lenders may accept BAS statements, business bank statements, or an accountant's declaration as evidence of income instead of full tax returns.
Requirements vary by lender. Some accept a single year of returns; others lend from as little as six months of an active ABN.
What strengthens a self-employed scenario
A consistent income trend, a registered ABN/GST history, a reasonable deposit, and clean recent banking conduct all generally help.
Scenario Match can show which specialist lenders typically work with self-employed borrowers in a scenario like yours.
See which lenders match your scenario
Answer five quick questions — no name or contact details required — for an indicative likelihood and the specialist lenders that typically work with situations like yours.
Run Scenario Match →This guide provides general information only and does not constitute financial or credit advice. gosearch.loans does not hold an Australian Credit Licence and does not assess applications. Always confirm details directly with the lender or a licensed credit professional.
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