Articles Tagged With: FHA Loan Income Rules

June 1, 2026

FHA Loans and Income Verification: “Future Income”

Borrowers who apply for an FHA home loan are required to list the income they want the lender to consider on the application. This is required for multiple reasons; the lender must calculate the applicant’s debt-to-income ratio and determine whether the borrower appears able to afford the new mortgage payment and other recurring obligations. A borrower who has too much going out and not enough qualifying income may not be approved for an FHA loan. But there’s another reason for the requirement; an FHA lender must verify and document the employment and income used to qualify the borrower. The lender cannot simply accept on good faith that the information listed on the application is accurate. When a borrower is approved for an FHA-insured mortgage, that approval comes only after the | more...

November 9, 2020

FHA Home Loan Income Rules You Should Know

By Bruce Reichstein

FHA loans, like all mortgage loans, have rules governing the borrower’s income. Your lender is required to verify your income to make sure it is stable and reliable. The lender is also required to ensure you have a minimum amount of job experience; a year or less is not enough for your total amount of time in the job market. What do you need to know about FHA loan income rules? There are a few important factors. For example, if you have been working a job where you are paid a salary and you are switched to commission income, your lender will require a minimum amount of time earning the new type of income (commissions) before it may be counted to qualify for the new loan. There are also rules | more...

January 17, 2020

Home Loan Approval And Your Income

By Bruce Reichstein

Home loan approval means submitting your employment and income information to the lender, who must verify the information for accuracy. There are things you can do to help the process work in your favor if you know about certain nuances of the home loan approval process. Important Takeaways From This Article: Know how the lender checks your income data; Study the FHA home loan rules for employment and income, especially if you are self-employed, a commission earner, or a contractor; Know how frequent job changes may affect your loan; Shop around for a loan even if you think you’ve found a good bank; Know How The Lender Operates Some people mistakenly assume that income and employment verification are formalities; they are not. Your lender is required by law to carry | more...

July 26, 2019

Qualifying For An FHA Home Loan With Disability Benefits

By Joe Wallace

FHA home loan rules permit the use of disability benefits to financially qualify for the loan. All income used in the lender’s debt ratio calculations must be verifiable, which means it must be a stable source of income and is likely to continue. Some borrowers worry that their disability income won’t be counted for the purposes of loan approval, but if that income meets FHA standards, there shouldn’t be any problem. Those standards are found in HUD 4000.1 and start with a basic definition: “Disability Benefits are benefits received from the Social Security Administration (SSA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), other public agencies, or a private disability insurance provider. “ These benefits must continue for at least three years into the mortgage to be counted as verifiable income. The lender | more...

July 2, 2019

Preparing For An FHA Mortgage? What You Need To Know About “Contingent Liabilities”

By Bruce Reichstein

If you are preparing for a home loan and want to buy a primary residence with an FHA mortgage, you should know what the FHA loan rules are for “contingent liabilities” which involve the borrower. A contingent liability is a financial obligation that the FHA loan applicant has co-signed for in the past or is otherwise potentially responsible for should the main borrower default on the financial obligation. The FHA loan handbook defines contingent liabilities specifically as follows: “A Contingent Liability refers to a liability that may result in the obligation to repay only when a specific event occurs. For example, a contingent liability exists when an individual can be held responsible for the repayment of a debt if another legally obligated party defaults on the payment. Contingent liabilities may | more...

May 2, 2019

FHA Home Loan Income Limits Do Not Exist

By Bruce Reichstein

Some borrowers confuse the features of the FHA home loan program with other government-backed loans, but when it comes to the question of income limits, FHA borrowers do not need to worry-there are NO income limits for FHA home loans. Those who misunderstand the FHA loan program as a need-based home loan option are likely confusing FHA mortgages with USDA loans, which are need-based and DO have income limits. Real estate purchases with FHA loans are not the same as their USDA counterparts. FHA Mortgages Are Not Just For First-Time Home Buyers We repeat: FHA mortgages are not only for first-time home buyers, and they are not restricted to those who may fall into a lower income category. Any financially qualified borrower can be approved for an FHA mortgage as | more...

Refinancing a Second Home With An FHA Mortgage Loan

April 8, 2019

FHA Home Loan Questions And Answers For First-Time Borrowers

By Joe Wallace

FHA home loans offer first-time home buyers an advantage with low down payment requirements, more flexible lending standards, and the ability to apply for local down payment assistance help where offered (as long as that assistance meets FHA requirements). Do you have questions about the FHA home loan process as a first-time buyer? Some of these answers below may help. What Is An FHA Forward Mortgage? The term “forward mortgage” refers to any home loan used to buy a property. It’s also sometimes known as a purchase loan. Why Are Closing Costs Due At Closing Time And Why Can’t I Finance Them Into My Home Loan? Not all closing costs must be paid in cash at closing time-the FHA Up-Front Mortgage Insurance Premium is an example of an FHA home | more...

September 20, 2018

What You Need To Know About FHA Loans And Income Verification

By Bruce Reichstein

What do borrowers need to know about FHA home loans and income verification requirements? The short answer is that it depends on several factors including the nature of the borrower’s job. Why is this true? Why isn’t there a standard answer? Because there are a variety of different employment types and FHA loan rules must address them. Self-employed borrowers are held to a different set of requirements because verifying that income requires a different set of procedures than for “traditional” employment. Those who work in the gig economy as contractors, 1099 workers, etc. are also in a different set of circumstances than a typical 9-5 worker, so those employees need their own procedures, too. FHA Loan Income Verification Rules For more traditional employment, the lender may require pay stubs, tax | more...

February 6, 2018

Why Are FHA Loan Rules Different For Family-Owned Business Employees?

By Joe Wallace

Why are FHA loan rules different for family-owned business employees? Some borrowers fit this category-that where you work for the family business but have no ownership in it-and the rules are important to understand. The FHA definition of income derived from a family owned business is specifically, “Family-Owned Business Income refers to Employment Income earned from a business owned by the Borrower’s family, but in which the Borrower is not an owner.” The major difference in the FHA loan rules for small business owners versus those they employ (but who do not own a stake in the business) basically recognizes the difference between being an employee and an owner. The rules for self-employed FHA home loan applicants differ from employees. Self-employed borrowers are required to show that their employment is | more...

November 16, 2017

Do FHA Loan Requirements Change Each Year?

By Bruce Reichstein

Do FHA loan requirements change each year? This area can be a bit confusing because some aspects of the FHA loan program have changed in recent years, and some things are updated on a yearly basis. But the basic structure of the FHA loan program including FICO score minimums, appraisal rules, and occupancy requirements? These do not change from year to year. Do FHA Loan Rules Are In HUD 4000.1 Change Annually? HUD 4000.1 is the FHA Single Family Home Loan Handbook. It contains all the basic rules and requirements for FHA home loans. It lists the FICO score requirements, loan repayment history rules, debt-to-income ratio guidelines and other issues that affect FHA loan approval. These requirements do not change from year to year, but are subject to revision based | more...