Mortgages for tech and SaaS founders
Startup founders and tech owners often hold large equity and investment balances while taking a modest salary. Asset depletion converts liquid assets into qualifying income, and bank statement programs read SaaS revenue when you draw from the business.
By Sunrise Lending
Why founders get declined
Why founders get declined
What you need to know
- Asset depletion converts liquid assets into income — no salary or tax-return reliance
- Eligible assets: cash, taxable brokerage, vested public stock, IRA, 401(k), Roth IRA
- Depletion factor: 60 months for taxable accounts, 84 months for retirement
- Assets are not pledged or sold — they stay in your name and keep growing
- Bank statement programs fit founders who draw SaaS revenue through a business account
- Hybrid files combine depletion income with a W-2 salary for a higher total
- Restricted or pre-IPO stock may qualify with documented liquidity
About this
The founder compensation pattern
Tech and SaaS founders frequently optimize for the business, not the paycheck. A founder might take an $90K W-2 salary while holding $1.5M in a brokerage account, vested public stock, and retirement savings. Conventional underwriting qualifies on the salary line and ignores the balance sheet — declining a borrower who is, by any reasonable measure, highly creditworthy. Two Non-QM paths read the real financial picture.
Asset depletion: turning a balance sheet into income
Asset depletion converts eligible liquid assets into a monthly income equivalent. Taxable accounts (cash, brokerage, vested public stock) are divided by a 60-month factor; retirement accounts by 84 months, with a haircut for balances held before age 59½. A $1.5M brokerage produces roughly $25,000/month of qualifying income. Importantly, the assets are not pledged as collateral and you do not actually draw them down — depletion is purely a qualification construct, and your investments keep growing through the loan term.
Bank statement programs for revenue-drawing founders
A bootstrapped SaaS owner who pays themselves through business deposits, rather than holding wealth in a brokerage, fits a bank statement program instead. The lender averages 12–24 months of business deposits and applies an expense factor. For a high-margin SaaS business, a CPA letter documenting a low real expense ratio can raise qualifying income meaningfully above the 50% default.
Equity, RSUs, and pre-IPO stock
Vested public stock counts toward asset depletion at current market value. Restricted stock and pre-IPO equity are harder — they require documented liquidity, such as a near-term IPO timeline, a tender offer, or a secondary-market letter at a known price. The matcher also tests hybrid files: asset depletion plus a W-2 salary frequently produces a higher combined qualifying income than either source alone, which is the common configuration for a salaried founder with a meaningful brokerage balance.
Common questions
- Can a founder with a small salary but large investments get a mortgage?
- Yes. Asset depletion converts liquid assets — brokerage, vested stock, retirement — into monthly qualifying income, so a modest W-2 salary is no longer the ceiling. A $1.5M brokerage produces roughly $25,000/month of qualifying income at the 60-month factor, independent of your paycheck.
- Do I have to sell or pledge my investments?
- No. Asset depletion uses your balances to calculate income only. Your assets stay in your name, remain fully liquid, and continue to grow. It is not a pledged-asset loan, and you do not actually draw the accounts down over the loan term.
- Does my vested company stock count?
- Vested public stock counts at current market value toward asset depletion. Restricted or pre-IPO equity is harder — it requires documented liquidity such as a near-term IPO timeline, a tender offer, or a secondary-market letter at a known price. Your officer advises on what documentation your specific stock needs.
- I bootstrapped my SaaS and pay myself from the business. Which path?
- A bank statement program fits. It averages 12–24 months of business deposits with an expense factor. For a high-margin SaaS business, a CPA letter documenting a low real expense ratio can raise qualifying income well above the 50% default.
- Can I combine my salary with my investment assets?
- Yes, and this hybrid file is common for founders. Asset depletion income from your brokerage and retirement accounts stacks on top of your W-2 salary. The matcher tests pure depletion versus the hybrid and surfaces whichever produces the higher combined qualifying income.
Ready to see your options?
The 60-second check-in matches you to the right program. A licensed Sunrise loan officer reviews before anything formal moves.
Related resources
Sources
- 1.Internal Revenue Service (IRS). IRA FAQs — Distributions (Withdrawals) — Accessed June 2026
- 2.U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Investor Bulletin: Restricted Securities and Liquidity — Accessed June 2026
- 3.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Software Developers — Occupational Outlook Handbook — Accessed June 2026
Asset depletion and bank statement program requirements — eligible asset classes, depletion factors, pre-59½ haircuts, and expense treatment — vary by lender. Assets are not pledged as collateral. Final approval, terms, and rates are determined by the lender after full underwriting. Not a commitment to lend.
Sunrise Lending · Equal Housing Opportunity. Matching rules are written and reviewed by licensed mortgage professionals. All loan decisions are made by licensed mortgage professionals. Not a commitment to lend. Loan approval subject to underwriting guidelines. This is not financial advice.