Earlier today I was having a conversation with a self-employed woman who just filed her 2011 taxes prior to the October extension deadline. She’s eager to buy a home in the greater Seattle area and her 2012 income shows a continued trend higher. She’s curious as to how quickly she can use her 2012 income for qualifying.

Typically for a self-employed or commissioned paid borrower,lenders want to see the last two years complete tax returns and will basically average the last two years net income assuming their income is steady or improving.

I advised her to file her 2012 taxes as soon as possible if she’s planning on using her 2012 income for qualifying. Not only will the 2012 tax returns need to be filed before a lender can use the income, most lenders will require a the tax returns to also be verified by the IRS.

Lenders use Form 4506 to obtain a tax transcript for several reasons, in addition to verifying taxes have been filed. The tax transcripts are a summary of the tax returns which reveal items such as income and deductions for a specific year. W2 salaried employees may be caught off guard if they claim a lot of work related deductions as an underwriter will most likely deduct those “expenses” from their gross income. Any conflicts between the what has been provided to the lender and what the IRS is reported must be addressed. 

During busier times for the IRS, such as April when income tax is due, it may take several weeks to obtain tax transcripts for that year. Even if the earliest my Seattle home buyer can file is at the beginning of February, she’ll at least have a beat the April rush.

So if you’re planning on buying a home in the beginning of the year and you need your 2012 income to qualify, file your taxes early. Chances are, your lender may not be able to close without being able to obtain your transcripts. 

If you’re considering buying or refinancing your home located in Washington state, I’m happy to help you!