If you are like me, you probably shred just about any documents that has your personal information on it…it’s just habit or second nature. I often sort through my mail right next to our shredder. If you are considering buying a home or refinancing your current mortgage, this is a practice you will need to reconsider.
The mortgage process will require that you provide all sorts of documentation.
I’ve often thought that the loan process for a borrower is similar to peeling an onion. At the very beginning stages, when a borrower is considering obtaining a mortgage and they discuss their scenario with their mortgage originator, they appear to be a smooth, shiny Walla Walla Sweet. As the process continues, more layers are removed as documentation is provided. Sometimes when several layers have been peeled away, you no longer have an onion or at least, not the one you originally started with. It’s crucial that a mortgage originator takes an in-depth interview with their clients before they enter into a transaction (purchase or refinance) to make sure as much their financial information has been addresses as possible. There may be a significant difference between how a borrower views their financial scenario and what their supporting income and asset documents tell to an underwriter. 
When assets are being used for 



