In Georgia, how you get paid picks your loan program
A grip with nine 1099s, a truck owner-operator, and a poultry grower all file the same Schedule C. We match each one to the program that reads their income the way it really comes in.
Georgia’s flat tax does not decide your mortgage. The way your money shows up in your account does.
A Georgia self-employed mortgage is a home loan that qualifies business owners on bank statements, 1099s, or a CPA P&L instead of tax returns. It fits film crews in Atlanta, freight owner-operators near the airport and I-285, growers around Gainesville, and event crews in Savannah, Augusta, and Macon. In Georgia, the pay stream matters more than the job title. Nine 1099s from nine productions read one way. A trucking LLC’s deposits read another. The JD.Mortgage Team at PRMG sorts that out first, then picks the program. 25+ years, 3,100+ closed loans, Scotsman Guide Top Originator 2026. Lending in 49 states. New York excluded. If another lender said no, that is usually where our work starts.
Last updated: September 24, 2026
Georgia Self-Employed Mortgage: The Short Answer
The short version: in Georgia, a self-employed mortgage replaces the tax return with proof of cash flow. That proof can be 12 or 24 months of bank statements, 1099 forms, or a CPA P&L. The floor is a 620 credit score and 2 years on your own.
As of Q3 2026 (September 2026): Credit scores start at 620 (Non-Prime, 75% LTV, 43% DTI) and 660 (Expanded Prime, 80% LTV, 50% DTI) (PRMG Non-QM Income Qualifying Product Profile, 09/17/2026). Loan-to-value reaches 89.99% at a 740 score with a 45% DTI (PRMG Non-QM Income Qualifying Product Profile, 09/17/2026). You need 2 years self-employed, and personal bank statements count 100% of deposits (PRMG Non-QM Income Qualifying Product Profile, 09/17/2026). The 2026 conforming loan limit is $832,750 in every Georgia county (FHFA 2026 conforming loan limits).
Georgia’s Self-Employed Borrowers, Sorted by How They Get Paid
Film and TV crews with a stack of 1099s
The Georgia Film Office reports that film and TV productions spent a combined $2 billion in the state in fiscal year 2026 across 280 productions (Georgia Department of Economic Development). Grips, electricians, set dressers, and camera crews often work for a new production company every few months. Each one sends a 1099. The 1099 loan path adds up 100% of the gross 1099 income plus year-to-date deposits and averages it. We validate the 1099s with an IRS wage and income transcript.
Freight and logistics owner-operators
Atlanta is a freight crossroads, and a lot of the drivers are their own company. Their deposits are big. Their net is small after fuel, tires, insurance, and truck payments. Business bank statements with the fixed 50% expense factor usually read this better than a Schedule C. You need at least 25% ownership of the business account.
Poultry growers and farm families
North Georgia growers get paid by settlement, and a bad flock or a bad month shows up fast. When income is seasonal, underwriting asks for 24 months of statements. One hard rule: the home cannot sit on a working farm, and the program caps acreage at 15 acres. We finance the house, not the barns.
Event, wedding, and convention crews
Savannah weddings and Atlanta conventions run on crews who invoice by the job. If a CPA, EA, or CTEC preparer knows the business, a 12-month CPA P&L can be the cleanest path. Deposits need to land within 35% of the P&L revenue.
Some Georgia borrowers fit two boxes. A gaffer who also rents out a lighting truck gets 1099s for labor and invoices for the gear. We cannot mix personal and business statement methods on one file, so we pick the one that reads the most of your income and document it cleanly. That choice is the first thing we work out with you, before any credit pull.
Four Ways We Measure Self-Employed Income
Your tax return reports profit after every write-off. That is the right number for the IRS and the wrong number for a mortgage. Here is what we use instead in Georgia. Full details live on our bank statement loans, 1099 loans, and P&L loans pages.
| Path | Look-back | What we count |
|---|---|---|
| Personal bank statements | 12 or 24 months | 100% of deposits, averaged |
| Business bank statements | 12 or 24 months | Deposits after a 50% expense factor, or a CPA expense statement |
| 1099 income | 12 or 24 months | 100% of gross 1099s plus year-to-date, averaged |
| CPA, EA, or CTEC P&L | 12 months | Net income; deposits must land within 35% of P&L revenue |
Rentals can skip personal income entirely with DSCR loans, and owners with large savings can use asset utilization.
Not sure which path reads your Georgia income best? We run every path you qualify for and show you the strongest number.
See What I Qualify ForGeorgia’s 4.99% Flat Tax and What Your Return Leaves Out
Georgia cut its income tax to a flat 4.99% starting January 1, 2026, under HB 463 (Office of the Governor; Georgia Department of Revenue). Every dollar of taxable income now pays the same state rate. That sounds simple. It also means every deduction saves you the same 4.99% no matter how much you earn, so there is still a reason to write off gear, trucks, and mileage.
Here is where most explanations go wrong. A lower rate does not raise the income a lender sees. The income on your return is set by your deductions, not by the rate. A camera operator who writes off a car, a lens kit, and hotel nights between shoots still shows a small Schedule C. The rate cut changes the check to the state. It does not change the number underwriting reads.
| What Georgia income looks like | What we read instead |
|---|---|
| Several 1099-NEC forms from different production companies | 100% of gross 1099 income plus YTD, averaged |
| Owner-operator LLC with fuel, tires, and truck notes | Business bank statements at a fixed 50% expense factor |
| Grower paid by settlement checks | 12 or 24 months of statements (24 when income is seasonal) |
| Event crew lead with a CPA who files the business return | 12-month CPA P&L, deposits within 35% of P&L revenue |
On the property side, Georgia assesses homes at 40% of fair market value (Georgia DOR property tax FAQ), and the homestead exemption only applies if you file for it with the county (Georgia DOR homestead exemptions). We build your payment estimate on the tax bill you will actually get, not a guess.
An Atlanta Example: A Film Grip With Nine 1099s
Tax return view (example)
- Schedule C net profit: $58,000 a year
- Monthly income: $4,833
- Example housing payment: $3,400
- Example other debts: $650
- DTI = 83.8% (does not qualify)
1099 path view (example)
- Gross 1099 income from 9 productions: $132,000 a year
- Monthly income: $132,000 ÷ 12 = $11,000
- Same housing payment: $3,400
- Same other debts: $650
- DTI = 36.8% (inside the 50% Expanded Prime limit)
Same person, same year. The tax return subtracts the truck, the tools, the per diem, and the hotel nights. The 1099 path starts from gross pay and checks it against an IRS transcript and year-to-date deposits. At a 660 score this file fits the 80% LTV Expanded Prime tier. At 620 it would need a DTI at or under 43% and 75% LTV, which it also meets.
Georgia Self-Employed Mortgage Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | What you need |
|---|---|
| Time self-employed | 2 years (1 to 2 years can work with 2 years in the same line of work) |
| Credit score | 620 Non-Prime, 660 Expanded Prime, 740 for 89.99% LTV |
| Debt-to-income | 43% at 620, up to 50% at 660, 45% at 89.99% LTV |
| Loan amount | $100,000 to $3,500,000 |
| Reserves | 3 months Non-Prime; 6 months Expanded Prime to $2 million |
| Property | Primary, second home, or investment; up to 15 acres (5 on investment) |
Source: PRMG Non-QM Income Qualifying Product Profile, 09/17/2026.
Buying a Home in Georgia as a Self-Employed Borrower
Every Georgia county sits at the $832,750 2026 conforming baseline (FHFA 2026 county loan limits). That matters less for our loans than for your backup plan. Non-QM loans here run from $100,000 to $3,500,000, so a Buckhead or Lake Oconee price does not push you into a separate jumbo track. The $3.5M tier needs 700 FICO and 70% LTV.
Georgia charges an intangible recording tax on the mortgage note: $1.50 for each $500 of the loan, capped at $25,000 per note (Georgia DOR intangible recording tax). On a $400,000 loan that is $1,200. We put it in your closing cost estimate from day one so the cash-to-close number does not jump.
Plan your reserves around it too. Non-Prime files need 3 months of payments in reserve and Expanded Prime files need 6 months, up to a $2M loan. Business funds can count if you own at least 50% of the business and a CPA or you confirm that pulling the money will not hurt the company.
For rural North Georgia and farm country: the program allows up to 15 acres on a primary or second home, 5 acres on an investment property, and the property cannot be agricultural or produce income for you. If you are a veteran as well as self-employed, compare against our Georgia VA loan options. If you already own and just need cash, see the Georgia HELOC.
Georgia Self-Employed Mortgage Myths, Corrected
❌ Myth: “My film work is all 1099s from different production companies, so no lender will count it until I have two years of tax returns showing a profit.”
✅ Fact: The 1099 program counts 100% of your gross 1099 income plus year-to-date income, averaged, and checks it against an IRS wage and income transcript. Many different payers is normal. Two years in the same line of work is the standard we look for.
❌ Myth: “You need two years of perfect tax returns.”
✅ Fact: Tax returns are not part of the file. Two years in business is the rule, and one to two years can work when you did the same work on payroll first.
❌ Myth: “Only big business owners qualify.”
✅ Fact: Loans start at $100,000. Freelancers, gig workers, and one-truck contractors use these paths every day.
Turned down in Georgia because of your tax return? Send us your statements. We tell you what they support before you make an offer.
Run My NumbersGeorgia Self-Employed Mortgage Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a mortgage if I’m self employed in Georgia?
Yes. In Georgia we qualify self-employed buyers on 12 or 24 months of bank statements, on 1099s, or on a 12-month CPA P&L instead of tax returns. Minimum scores are 620 for Non-Prime at 75% LTV and 660 for Expanded Prime at 80% LTV. Most programs want 2 years self-employed. The right path depends on how your money comes in, so we look at your deposits first.
Does Georgia’s 4.99% flat tax change how much income a lender counts?
No. The rate sets what you owe the state, not the income a lender reads. Your deductions set your net income, and a lower rate does not add those deductions back. That is why a bank statement or 1099 loan can show much higher qualifying income than your Georgia return, even after the 2026 rate cut.
What is the intangible recording tax on a Georgia mortgage?
Georgia charges $1.50 for each $500 of the mortgage note when it is recorded, with a cap of $25,000 per note. A $400,000 loan pays $1,200. It is a closing cost, not a yearly tax. We include it in your estimate from the start so your cash to close is accurate.
Can a truck owner-operator in Georgia qualify with bank statements?
Yes. We use 12 or 24 months of business bank statements and apply a fixed 50% expense factor to your deposits, or a CPA expense statement if your real costs are lower. You need at least 25% ownership of the business. Fuel and truck payments hit the tax return hard, so deposits often tell a better story.
What are the requirements for a self-employed mortgage in Georgia?
Two years of self-employment, a 620 credit score or higher, and proof of income from bank statements, 1099s, or a CPA P&L. Loans run from $100,000 to $3,500,000, with 3 to 6 months of reserves on most Georgia files.
Is a P&L loan the same as a bank statement loan?
No. A P&L loan uses a 12-month profit and loss statement from a CPA, enrolled agent, or CTEC preparer. You must own at least 50% of the business, and your deposits must land within 35% of the P&L revenue.
Can I use personal bank statements if I pay myself from my business?
Yes. Personal statements count 100% of deposits, averaged over 12 or 24 months. We also look at 2 months of business statements to confirm the business is running. It is often the simplest path for sole owners.
Do self-employed loans have mortgage insurance?
No. These Non-QM programs do not carry mortgage insurance. Escrow for taxes and insurance is required above 85% loan-to-value. Down payment and pricing are set by your score, loan-to-value, and reserves.
Related Pages
About the Author
J.D. Peck is an Area Manager and Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS #314883) with the JD.Mortgage Team at Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc. (NMLS #75243), based in Colorado Springs. 25+ years, 3,100+ closed loans, Scotsman Guide Top Originator 2026. Lending in 49 states. New York excluded.
Last updated: September 24, 2026. Self-employed program facts sourced from the PRMG Non-QM Income Qualifying Product Profile, 09/17/2026. Loan limits from FHFA 2026 conforming loan limit values. Georgia tax and property facts from official Georgia state sources linked above.
Find Out What Your Georgia Deposits Qualify You For
Send your statements, 1099s, or P&L. We run every path that fits and show you the loan amount, down payment, and program before you write an offer.
More for Georgia: Georgia VA loans · Georgia HELOC
Source: JD.Mortgage Team at PRMG, Georgia Self-Employed Mortgage: Bank Statement, 1099, and P&L Loans, updated September 2026, https://jd.mortgage/georgia-self-employed-mortgage/
What are you looking to do?
No SSN required. No credit pull. Takes about 2 minutes.