Asset-depletion loans qualify you on your liquid assets instead of a W-2 or tax return. If you're retired, between jobs, living off a portfolio, or just tired of a bank pretending a 7-figure brokerage account doesn't count — this is the loan built for that.
Retirement account, brokerage, cash. Millions on paper, but no paystub. The conventional lender says no. The right program says: your balance sheet is the income.
Retired, semi-retired, in transition — none of it disqualifies you. Assets do the qualifying.
Checking, savings, money market — all counted at 100% of balance for the depletion calc.
Brokerage, stocks, bonds, mutual funds — counted at 70-80%. Retirement accounts count if you're 59½+.
Jumbo-friendly. Loan sizes up to $3M standard, higher case-by-case for the right file.
The people this loan was built for don't have an "income problem." They have an "the form doesn't have a box for me" problem.
Living off Social Security + a portfolio. Documented income looks small; assets tell the real story.
Wound down the business, cashed out, or took the package. Between W-2s but flush with liquid capital.
Deferred comp, RSU-heavy compensation, complex tax situations where AGI understates true wealth.
Beneficiaries drawing from a portfolio or trust that a conventional lender doesn't know how to treat.
Buying a lake house, ski place, or investment property funded by savings rather than income.
Selling the family home, moving to something smaller, buying before the sale closes.
We take your eligible liquid assets, apply haircuts based on account type, subtract closing costs and reserves, and divide by an amortization period (typically 60, 84, or 120 months). The monthly result becomes your qualifying income.
Two months of statements from every liquid account — checking, savings, brokerage, IRA, 401k.
Cash 100%. Investments 70-80%. Retirement 60-70% (only if 59½+ and unrestricted).
Remove funds needed for down payment, closing, and 6-12 months of reserves from the total.
Remaining ÷ 60, 84, or 120 months = monthly qualifying income. Longer term = larger loan.
A hypothetical retired couple with $1.8M in liquid assets, buying a $650K home with 25% down.
Both borrowers age 65+. No W-2 income, ~$3,200/mo combined Social Security. Excellent credit. Buying a $650,000 primary. 25% down ($162,500). Reserves and closing set aside from liquid assets.
Illustrative only. Actual haircuts, terms, and reserves vary by program and file.
Every scenario is different — these are the typical guardrails. When you call, I'll tell you exactly where you sit on each line.
| Guideline | Purchase | Refinance |
|---|---|---|
| Min. assets | Typically $500K liquid post-close · higher for jumbo | Same |
| Amortization | 60, 84, or 120 months (program-dependent) | Same |
| Cash haircut | 100% of balance counted | Same |
| Investment haircut | 70-80% of balance counted | Same |
| Retirement haircut | 60-70% · borrower must be 59½+ and account unrestricted | Same |
| Max LTV | Up to 80% (higher case-by-case) | Up to 75% rate/term · up to 70% cash-out |
| Minimum FICO | 680 typical · 700+ for strongest pricing | 680 typical |
| Loan amount | Up to $3M standard · higher case-by-case | Up to $3M |
| Property types | Primary, 2nd home, investment · 1-4 family · condo | Same |
| Terms | 30-yr fixed · 5/6 & 7/6 ARM · interest-only options | Same |
No. "Asset depletion" is just the math the lender uses to convert your assets into a hypothetical monthly income for qualifying. You don't liquidate anything, you don't set up automatic withdrawals, and the assets stay yours to invest as you always have. It's a documentation method — nothing more.
Not at all. Retirees are the most common fit, but the program works for anyone who has substantial liquid assets and either doesn't have qualifying income on paper or doesn't want to use it. Business owners, trust beneficiaries, and pre-retirees between W-2s all use it.
Yes — asset-depletion programs price 0.5% to 1.25% higher than a comparable conventional 30-year, depending on FICO, LTV, and reserves. For a buyer with the assets to close but no way to qualify conventionally, the trade is usually worth it.
Yes. Social Security, pension, part-time W-2, or rental income can all be added on top of the depleted-asset income. That "blended" file often qualifies for a larger loan than either method alone.
Retirement accounts under 59½ are generally excluded from the calculation on most programs — the assumption is you can't access them without a penalty. Once you cross 59½ and the account is unrestricted, we count them at the retirement haircut.
Typically 30 to 45 days, similar to conventional. The paperwork is different — we're documenting statements and account ownership, not paystubs — but it's not slower.