A new ABN
Lenders differ on how long you need to have been trading and how they treat your early income. Some want two full years of returns; others will look at less. Which lender you start with matters more than the rate.
Complex & self-employed
The files other brokers pass on are a large part of what we do.
A new ABN. Contract or commission income. Trusts and multiple entities. A credit file with a story behind it. A decline usually means you didn't match one lender's policy on one day — not that the deal is impossible.
The gap
It's usually the policy, not the person.
Lenders treat new ABNs, contract income, trust structures and credit history very differently from one another. A file that's a decline at one lender can be workable at another — so which lender you approach, in what order, and how the file is presented all matter.
Why it matters to apply once: every application leaves an enquiry on your credit file, and a run of declines makes the next lender nervous. It costs nothing to have the file checked against lender policy first.
Situations
The files we see most.
Yours may be one of these, or a mix. A lot of real files are.
Contract or commission income
Variable income is assessed very differently from lender to lender — some average it over two years, some lean on your most recent year, some shade commission down. We match the file to the policy that treats your pattern of income best.
Trusts & multiple entities
Borrowing through, or alongside, a trust or company adds layers: who the borrower is, whose income counts, and what each lender will accept. We settle the structure first and build the application second.
A credit file with a story
A default, a late payment or an old judgement doesn't automatically end the conversation. Lenders weigh how old it is, how large it was and whether it has been paid. We tell you plainly where you stand, and what would change it.
Paperwork
What we'll ask for.
More than a payslip file, but still a short list. Where a lender will accept less, we'll tell you.
- Tax returns and notices of assessmentUsually the last two years, personal and business.
- Company or trust financialsIf the income runs through a company or trust.
- Recent BAS statementsThey show where the business is tracking now, not just where it finished last year.
- An ATO account statementShowing what you owe the ATO, if anything. Lenders care about tax debts.
- Business and personal bank statementsEvery account. They'll be seen either way, so it's better we look first.
- Every debt and every limitCards, loans, HECS and buy-now-pay-later. Lenders assess the limit, not the balance.
Worth knowing before you lodge: lenders generally assess you on the income your tax return shows. A return built to minimise tax can reduce how much you can borrow, so if you plan to borrow, talk to us and your accountant before you lodge — not after.
Our approach
Where the work starts, not where it stops.
Where many brokers accept a decline, that's where we start.
Step one
Find out why
We look at why a lender declined the file, or what a lender is likely to object to before you apply at all.
Step two
Choose the route
Then we work out whether it's a case for a policy exception, a different lender, or a restructured application.
Step three
Tell you plainly
Sometimes the honest answer is still no. You'll get it only after the options have been exhausted, not instead of trying.
Clients
What clients say.
★★★★★
My situation turned out to be far more complex than initially expected due to unexpected serviceability challenges, but he handled it with absolute professionalism and persistence. Instead of taking the easy route, he took the time to deeply understand my financial position, explored multiple lender options, and proactively navigated the complexities to find a workable solution.
Questions
Self-employed questions we hear most.
I've only just started my business. Can I still borrow?
Often, yes, but it depends on the lender. Policies on how long you've traded, and how they treat your early income, vary a lot. The right starting lender matters more than the headline rate, and the order you approach them in can matter too.
My accountant keeps my taxable income low. Does that hurt?
It can. Lenders generally assess you on the income your tax return shows, though some will add back certain items. Minimising tax and maximising borrowing pull in opposite directions, which is why it's worth deciding which matters more for the next couple of years before you lodge.
Can I borrow with a default on my credit file?
Sometimes. Lenders look at how old the default is, how large it was and whether it's been paid. We'll tell you straight where you stand, and what would improve it — including when waiting is the better move.
Will a complex loan cost me more?
Sometimes. Specialist lenders can charge more than mainstream ones. We show you the real cost before you decide, so you can weigh it against the alternative of waiting.