WVOE loans: a third-party-verified employment letter is your income doc.
When your paystub-and-W-2 stack is messy or incomplete, a Written Verification of Employment from your employer's HR replaces it. Clean third-party verification, no tax return required.
Quick answer: what is a WVOE loan?
- Income source: a Written Verification of Employment from your third-party employer (HR or payroll), plus a recent paystub.
- Tax returns required? No.
- W-2s required? Generally no — that's the point.
- Who it's for: W-2 employees of a third-party employer (not your own business) whose paystub or W-2 documentation is messy, missing, or recently changed.
- Min FICO: typically 660+.
- Down payment: typically 15–25%.
Note: WVOE is for W-2 employees, not for borrowers self-employed in their own company. If you're self-employed, look at Bank Statement or P&L Only instead.
How it works
- Underwriter sends a WVOE form directly to your employer's HR or payroll.
- HR returns the form documenting position, hire date, current base salary, prior year earnings, and probability of continued employment.
- One recent paystub confirms current pay; the WVOE confirms history and continuity.
- Qualifying income = base salary on the WVOE (overtime, bonus, and commission depend on documentation history).
Why this exists
Some W-2 borrowers have legitimate situations where the standard "two paystubs + W-2 + tax return" stack doesn't work cleanly: recent job change with prior W-2 in different industry, recent immigration, gap year, or a borrower in a privacy-sensitive employment situation. WVOE replaces all of that with a third-party-verified statement straight from the employer.
What income counts
- Base salary: always counts.
- Overtime / bonus: counted if the WVOE shows a 2-year history and HR marks it as likely to continue.
- Commission: typically requires 1–2 years of history; some programs require additional documentation.
- Recent raise: counted from the new amount as long as the WVOE confirms the new salary is in effect.
What you'll need
- Your employer's HR contact (name, email, phone) — we send the WVOE directly to them.
- One recent paystub.
- Standard mortgage docs.
FAQ
Why not just use my W-2?
If your W-2 documentation is clean, conventional financing is usually cheaper. WVOE exists for situations where the W-2/paystub stack doesn't work — recent job change, complex commission structures, or borrowers who can't (or won't) share full tax returns.
Will my employer be told this is for a Non-QM loan?
No. The WVOE form is a standard mortgage employment verification — same form used for conventional financing. Your employer just sees a request to verify employment.
Can my own LLC sign a WVOE for me?
No. WVOE programs require a third-party employer. If you sign your own paycheck, you're self-employed for underwriting purposes — use Bank Statement or P&L Only instead.
How long does the WVOE process take?
Depends on how fast your HR department responds. Usually 2–7 business days. We start the WVOE early in the file so it doesn't slow the close.
Ready to see if this is the right program?
Start the application or book a 20-minute call. We'll model real numbers, not estimates.