Self-Employed Mortgages in Alberta
Your income isn’t a T4 — and that’s okay. We structure approvals for incorporated owners, sole proprietors, contractors, and gig workers using lender programs that understand add-backs, gross-ups, retained earnings, and business write-offs
All mortgage financing is arranged through Dominion Lending Centres Lender Direct (Mortgage Brokerage). Each office is independently owned and operated. OAC; subject to change.
Who This Is For
Incorporated owners & partners drawing salary/dividends.
Sole proprietors/contractors with fluctuating income.
Gig & commission earners (realtors, trades, creatives).
Newer businesses (case-by-case) with strong trends and documentation.
How Lenders Look at Self-Employed Income
Traditional (NOA/T1/T2 based): average 2-year line 15000 (plus add-backs).
Reasonability / add-back programs: add back non-cash items (CCA), one-time expenses, or gross-up non-taxable income.
Bank-statement cash-flow views (alt-A): use business deposits and expense ratios (case-by-case).
Stated-income style (where available): reasonability tests + documentation to support true earning power.
Dividend/salary mix: combine both; consider retained earnings for incorporated clients.
What We Can Achieve
Purchase or refinance with a structure that fits your cash flow.
Competitive options across banks, credit unions, and alternative lenders.
Prepayment & penalty strategy for flexibility as your business grows.
HELOC pairing for working-capital, tax installments, or renos (where available).
The Process (Clear & Fast)
Discovery (10–15 min): Goals, company structure, income mix, timeline.
Document strategy: We select the income method (add-backs, gross-up, bank-statements) that suits your file.
Lender match: Compare options, terms, and policy nuances (e.g., retained earnings, vehicle write-offs).
Approval & funding: Conditions, legal signing, and a plan for your next milestone.
Documents Checklist (pick what you have)
We’ll right-size the list based on your program and company structure.
Core:
Government photo ID
T1 Generals & NOAs (2 years) (sole prop / dividend takers)
Corporate financials (2 years) + T2 & GIFI (incorporated)
Business bank statements (3–6 months)
Current A/R & A/P (if applicable)
GST/HST filings or proof of registration (where relevant)
Contracts/invoices or accountant letter (helpful for reasonability)
Down payment history (90 days), gift letter if used
Property:
Purchase agreement & MLS / Appraisal (refi)
Condo fees, property tax, insurance estimate
Examples
Owner-Operator (Inc): salary + dividends with strong retained earnings → conventional insured/uninsured (program-dependent).
Sole Proprietor: 2-year average with add-backs for CCA and one-time expenses.
Contractor (Bank-Statement): deposits analysis with reasonable expense factor.
Growth Year: reasonability approach highlighting current-year run-rate (case-by-case).
We’ll provide a side-by-side showing payment, qualifying amount, and documents for each program that fits.
FAQ: Self-Employed Mortgages
Often yes for traditional programs, but alternatives exist (bank-statement, reasonability) depending on your file.
Can retained earnings help me qualify?
Not necessarily. Programs with add-backs and gross-ups recognize legitimate expenses and non-cash deductions.
Depends on program, price, and file strength. We’ll confirm exact requirements after review.
Not automatically. We can present prior industry history, contracts, and current run-rate to support your case.
Let’s structure your approval the right way.
We help self-employed clients in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Fort McMurray, Sherwood Park, St. Albert—with access to bank, credit union, and alternative programs across Canada.