Home loans for accountants and lawyers

How lenders view accountants and lawyers

Qualified accountants and lawyers are on most lenders' professional lists, which unlocks LMI concessions at 85–90% LVR provided you meet membership and income criteria.

Two lenders assessing the identical payslip can arrive at borrowing power figures more than $100,000 apart, purely from policy differences. Choosing the lender whose policy matches your income shape is worth far more than shaving a few basis points off the rate.

Income lenders will assess for accountants and lawyers

• PAYG salary plus performance bonus, usually averaged over two years and shaded 80–100%.
• Partnership distributions and drawings for equity partners.
• Sole practitioner or firm income assessed on business financials.
• Professional membership (CA, CPA, or admission to practice) which is what actually triggers the concession.

Advantages available to accountants and lawyers

• LMI waivers at 85–90% LVR at several lenders for members in good standing.
• Bonus income counted at 100% by some lenders where it's been consistent for two years.
• Professional package discounts on rate and annual fees.

Lenders mortgage insurance

Some lenders extend a professional LMI concession to your occupation, typically to 85–90% LVR, subject to registration or membership and a minimum income. It isn't universal, so confirm it before you set your deposit target.

Common mistakes we see

• Missing the required professional body membership — the waiver hinges on it, not on your job title.
• Minimum income thresholds that vary by lender and by whether you're applying solo or jointly.
• Partnership income requiring full firm financials, which can slow an application significantly.

What to have ready before you apply

• Two recent payslips showing year-to-date gross, plus your latest income statement or PAYG summary.
• Three months of transaction statements for every account, including any buy-now-pay-later facility.
• Details of all debts and credit limits — lenders assess the limit, not the balance.
• For self-employed income: the last one to two years of tax returns and notices of assessment.
• Evidence of your deposit, its source, and how long it's been held.

How much could you borrow?

Our borrowing power calculator assesses at a 3% serviceability buffer, the same way a lender does, and applies a HEM living-expense floor. It's an estimate — the number that matters is the one from the lender whose policy best fits accountants and lawyers — but it's a realistic starting point.

If you'd rather skip the guesswork, a 15-minute chat gets you a lender-specific figure with the policy quirks already applied.