My tax return shows $50K but my business turns over $400K. Will banks lend?

Major banks struggle. Specialist lenders use BAS turnover and add-backs.

What documents do I need to submit?

Full-doc: 2 years tax returns + BAS. Alt-doc: 12-24 months BAS + accountant's letter.

Will lenders accept cash deposits in my business bank account?

Yes — cash deposits expected. Consistency over 6+ months matters most.

How much deposit will I need?

Full-doc 15-20%; alt-doc 20-30%.

Can I include my partner's PAYG income?

Yes — joint applications combining business + PAYG improve serviceability significantly.

Home Loan Refinancing

Who this guide is for

Australian cash-business owners who want home loans from lenders who understand cash-heavy income — particularly Bangladeshi, Lebanese, Vietnamese, Pakistani and broader multicultural business owners.

Restaurant owners with significant cash takings
Market stall traders, grocers, retail shop owners
Cleaning, catering, mobile service business owners
South Asian and multicultural cash-business owners needing language support

The local picture

Cash-business income creates a problem most major banks won't solve. Tax returns often show modest income because of legitimate deductions (wages, food costs, rent, depreciation). The actual cash flow is much stronger but doesn't appear in the bottom-line tax figure banks focus on.

Result: cash-business owners get told they don't qualify when they actually do — they just need a different lender.

How Mortgagefy helps locally

Mortgagefy works with specialist lenders that look at BAS turnover, bank deposit consistency, and accountant-verified income. Some lenders apply add-backs that significantly improve assessable income. Some accept low-doc/alt-doc structures based on declared business income.

Multilingual support available. Free advice.

How it works — 4 simple steps

Free cash-business chat

20-minute call about your business, BAS history, and target home.

Compare specialist lenders

We identify lenders that handle cash-business income properly.

Application package

We compile your tax returns, BAS, business bank statements and supporting documents.

Settle your home

Approval through to settlement with ongoing support.

Frequently asked questions

We use offer letters and vesting schedules to value RSUs conservatively. We present current vesting value + projected future vesting as a 3-5 year income average. This gives lenders confidence in your income stability while accounting for market volatility.

Both. We work with W2 employees, 1099 contractors, and consultants. For contractors, we use 2 years of tax returns plus business financials. We have lenders who specialise in contractor income—they understand the variability.

Unvested options have zero value for refinancing. We count only vested equity. If you have a 4-year vest, we use 25% of the grant value (what's vested) plus a conservative projection of future vesting.

If you've been in your new role 6+ months, most lenders will refinance. We'll use your offer letter plus 6 months of pay stubs. If less than 6 months, it's harder but possible with specialist lenders.

Yes, if you have 2+ years of bonus history. We average the past 2 years and present it conservatively. Some bonuses get counted at 50% to be conservative with variable compensation.

ESPP is counted as deferred compensation. If your company matches or you have a discount, we value it as part of total compensation package.

Get a cash-business home loan assessment

Free 20-minute call about your real options as a cash business owner.

Start Your Free Assessment Call 0432 634 648

Get your personalised answer in 2 minutes

Free, no obligation. We'll match you with the right lender for your situation.

Model your scenarios: Use our free home loan calculators to estimate borrowing capacity, repayments, and savings.

Home Loan With Cash Income in Australia: For Cash-Heavy Business Owners