Self-Employed Home Loans
From a Broker Who Reads Tax Returns
Most brokers send your tax returns to a lender and hope for the best. We read them first — as a CPA and registered Tax Agent — then structure your application to maximise approval.
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How ABN age can affect your chances with the banks
Self‑employed with a young ABN? Learn how banks and alt‑doc lenders view your file.
Read the transcript
Most banks have a rigid rule: if your ABN hasn't been active for two full years, you can't get a home loan. But if your trade business has been booming for 12 months, why should your family wait to buy a house? We have direct access to alternative doc lenders who accept 6 to 12 months of active trading backed by clean business bank deposits. Stop waiting for arbitrary timelines. DM me 'GROWTH' to look at your options.
General information only, not personal advice. Your situation is assessed before any recommendation.
“I’m self-employed with messy financials — can a mortgage broker actually help me?”
Yes. Messy or complicated financials are exactly where a specialist mortgage broker adds the most value. At Local Knowledge Finance your application is handled by James Chee — a Registered Mortgage Broker who is also a CPA and Registered Tax Agent — so your tax returns, BAS, add-backs and business structure are read and reconstructed before a single lender sees them.
We regularly help self-employed borrowers whose paperwork looks “too hard” to the banks — including irregular or seasonal income, no payslips, only one year of tax returns, large one-off deductions, retained profits sitting in a company, or outstanding ATO debt. The job is to find the legitimate story in your numbers and match it to the lender most likely to say yes.
- Irregular or seasonal income
- No payslips / ABN income only
- Only one year of tax returns
- Add-backs the bank overlooked
- Company or trust structures
- ATO / tax debt to work around
Local Knowledge Finance is an award-recognised, multi-service practice — finalist across nine national award programs over 12 consecutive years (2014–2026), including 6× Innovator of the Year finalist at the Australian Accounting Awards for its integrated accounting, tax & mortgage-broking practice.
CPA
Australia Certified
Tax Agent
Registered TPB
40+
Lender Panel
$0
Assessment Fee
Why a CPA Broker Matters for Self-Employed Lending
Your accountant minimises your tax. Your broker needs to maximise your borrowing. When they\'re the same person, they speak the same language.
Add-Back Expertise
We identify depreciation, one-off expenses, and non-cash deductions that lenders can add back to boost your income.
Tax Return Fluency
We read financial statements, not just tax return summaries. Company, trust, and partnership structures? No problem.
Lender Matching
Different lenders have vastly different self-employed policies. We match your structure to the most favourable assessment.
Find Your Lending Path
How lenders treat you depends entirely on how you\'re structured. Select your business type below.
Sole Trader
ABN-based income, simplified reporting. We know how lenders assess sole trader financials and which ones are friendliest.
Learn moreCompany Director
Salary + dividends + retained earnings. We calculate your true borrowing capacity by looking beyond just your PAYG salary.
Learn moreContractor
Contract rate vs taxable income. Some lenders use your contract rate — we know which ones and when it matters.
Learn moreSelf-Employed Lending FAQs
Ready to Get Assessed?
Free, no-obligation assessment of your self-employed borrowing capacity. We read the financials your accountant prepares — because we speak the same language.
Request Free Assessment12 years of recognised innovation.From fintech pioneers to AI leaders.
A trajectory of compound innovation — building from foundational accounting technology to multi-industry AI leadership across cybersecurity, property, healthcare, and governance.
- SelectedInnovation SelectionSMART 100 IndexMyMoney
- SelectedInnovation SelectionSMART 100 IndexiBOP
- SelectedInnovation SelectionSMART 100 IndexMyMoney
- SelectedInnovation SelectionSMART 100 IndexMyMoney
- FinalistBoutique Firm of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistInnovator of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- SelectedInnovation SelectionSMART 100 IndexBCyber
- SelectedInnovation SelectionSMART 100 IndexMyMoney
- FinalistAccounting Innovator of the YearFintech Business AwardsLocal Knowledge
- FinalistFintech Start-Up BusinessFintech Business AwardsBCyber
- FinalistInnovator of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistInnovator of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistMarketing Program of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistProperty Specialist Accountant of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistNew Brokerage of the YearAustralian Mortgage AwardsDing Financial
- FinalistInnovator of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistMarketing Program of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistBest Use of AI in FintechThe 6th Annual Fintech Awards
- FinalistInnovator of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistMarketing Program of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistProperty Specialist Accountant of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistCommercial Broker of the YearOutsource Financial ORB AwardsJames Chee, Ding Financial
- FinalistMultiservice Firm of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistBusiness Advisory Firm of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistMarketing Program of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- RankedGovernance ExcellenceGovernance Top 100
- FinalistAI Innovator — Cyber SecurityAustralian AI Awards
- FinalistAI Innovator — Property InvestmentAustralian AI Awards
- FinalistBusiness Advisory Firm of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistMarketing Program of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- RankedGovernance ExcellenceGovernance Top 100
- FinalistAI Innovator — Cyber SecurityAustralian AI Awards
- FinalistAI Innovator — Property InvestmentAustralian AI Awards
- FinalistAI Innovator — HealthcareAustralian AI Awards
- FinalistAI Innovator — Real EstateAustralian AI Awards
- FinalistMultiservice Firm of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistMarketing Program of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- RankedGovernance ExcellenceGovernance Top 100
- FinalistInnovation in HealthcareAustralian AI Awards
- FinalistInnovation in Property InvestmentAustralian AI Awards
- FinalistInnovation in CybersecurityAustralian AI Awards
- FinalistInnovator of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistMultiservice Firm of the YearAustralian Accounting Awards
- FinalistGRC Provider of the YearAustralian Cyber Security AwardsBCyber
- FinalistCyber Professional of the Year — Professional ServicesAustralian Cyber Security Awards
Compound innovation is the story. Not one lucky year — recognised across nine award programs, five industries, and twelve consecutive years of building what matters. In 2026, named finalist in three cross-sector categories at the Australian AI Awards.