A 1099 loan and a profit and loss statement loan are non-QM mortgages for self-employed borrowers. One documents income with the 1099 forms your clients send you. The other uses a profit and loss statement prepared by a qualified tax professional. Neither one relies on your tax returns.
Justin Lazzaro, NMLS #1229453 | Reasy Financial, LLC, NMLS #2446155 | Licensed in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas
They are built for people whose income is steady but whose tax returns do not show it after write-offs.
If most of your income arrives on 1099 forms from one or a few companies, the 1099 route is usually the simplest file.
If a CPA or enrolled agent already keeps your books, a prepared profit and loss statement can document your income.
W-2 employees, and self-employed borrowers whose tax returns already qualify. A conventional loan will usually cost less.
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1099 forms, a prepared profit and loss statement, or bank statements. The right choice depends on how you are paid and what your records look like.
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On a 1099 loan, an expense factor is usually taken off your gross 1099 income. On a P&L loan, the lender uses the net income on the statement and your share of the business.
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Expect to show year-to-date earnings on a 1099 loan. Many lenders ask for a few months of bank statements to support a P&L.
The profit and loss statement has to be prepared by a qualified third party the lender accepts, such as a CPA or enrolled agent. A statement you prepare yourself is not accepted. Most lenders want to see two years of self-employment.
All of these document self-employed income. The difference is the paperwork and the terms.
| Option | How income is documented | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| 1099 loan | 1099 forms plus proof of year-to-date earnings | Terms are usually similar to a bank statement loan |
| P&L loan | A profit and loss statement prepared by a qualified tax professional | Terms are often tighter, and some programs do not offer it |
| Bank statement loan | Twelve or twenty-four months of bank deposits | The most widely available of the three |
| Conventional loan | Tax returns and standard income documents | Usually the lowest cost when your returns qualify |
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The expense factor on 1099 income and the rules for a P&L vary by lender. The same records can produce different qualifying income, so I compare methods first.
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Many lenders cap the loan-to-value lower on a P&L file, want stronger credit, or restrict it to a primary home.
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Non-QM loans generally carry higher rates and costs than conventional loans. If your tax returns qualify, that is usually the better value, and I will tell you so.
Guidelines change. I confirm current requirements with the lender before quoting anything.
Short answers to common questions. Program rules vary by lender, so treat these as general guidance, not a loan decision.
It depends on the lender. Some use the most recent year and some use two, and all of them want proof that the income is continuing this year.
A third-party tax professional the lender accepts, such as a CPA, an enrolled agent, or another qualified tax preparer. A statement prepared by the borrower is not accepted.
Often, yes. Many lenders ask for a few months of statements to confirm that your deposits support the income on the 1099s or the P&L.
Two years is the usual standard. A few lenders consider a shorter history, for example when you moved from a W-2 job to contract work in the same field.
1099 loans are often available for second homes and rentals. P&L loans are more limited, and for a rental a DSCR loan may be the better fit.
I am licensed in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas, and I compare these programs across multiple wholesale lenders.
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