The Quick Read: There is no federal cap on an assets-only mortgage, so the ceiling is set by the program and by your own asset math, and whichever is lower controls. Through select wholesale programs, subject to full underwriting, loan sizes run from $300,000 to $30,000,000, with files above $4,000,000 reviewed case by case before submission. Exact terms depend on the lender’s guidelines, property type, leverage, and a full review of the borrower’s file.
- Assets-only qualifies with no DTI when U.S. liquid assets equal the loan amount plus closing costs.
- Asset allowance divides liquid assets by 36, 60 or 84 months to build qualifying income.
- Leverage steps down as the loan grows, and investment property runs about five points lower than a primary residence.
- Retirement accounts count at 70% (80% at age 59.5+); business funds, gifts and crypto never count.
- Consumer lending is licensed in 16 states; programs change and every file is underwritten individually.
Two Ceilings, and the Lower One Wins
The first ceiling is the program. The second is you. A program can carry a $6,000,000 loan, but if your eligible liquid assets don’t support it, the file stops there.
Across the wholesale network, two program families matter for size. A portfolio non-QM program carries files to $6,000,000. A bank portfolio program carries twelve-month-statement files to $30,000,000 on its own ladder: 65% to $5,000,000, 60% to $10,000,000 and 55% to $30,000,000. That ladder begins above $4,000,000, overlaps the portfolio program to $6,000,000, and stands alone above $6,000,000.
Federal law doesn’t set this number. The CFPB’s Ability-to-Repay compliance guide says a creditor must consider income or assets other than the dwelling itself, which means assets alone can satisfy that factor. Size limits come from lender and investor credit policy.
How Do Your Assets Become a Loan Size?
Eligible assets are reduced by the cash you bring to closing, then converted to qualifying income or matched against the loan. The chain is mechanical.
1. List eligible liquid accounts: checking, savings, money market, brokerage, and retirement at the haircut above.
2. Subtract the down payment, closing costs and reserves.
3. Pick the path: asset allowance or assets-only.
4. Apply the program cap and the leverage band for the loan size.
Asset allowance divides liquid assets by 36 months (supplemental income, when the file’s debt-to-income before the asset income is at or below 60%), 60 months (supplemental, when that pre-asset ratio is above 60%) or 84 months (standalone, or any loan above $3,500,000). The 60% test only picks the divisor. Once the asset income is counted, the qualifying ratio must still fit the 50% ceiling. The allowance applies to primary and second homes only, at 80% maximum. The divisor is the swing factor. A longer divisor means less qualifying income from the same pile.
Assets-only skips the income conversion. U.S. liquid assets must equal the loan amount plus closing costs plus sixty months of any net loss on other residential property. Simple to state. Hard to meet at the top of the range, because the portfolio you need is as large as the loan.
Which Assets Count and Which Don’t
Retirement accounts count at 70%, or 80% at age 59.5 and over. Business funds, gifts, trusts other than a revocable living trust, unvested stock and cryptocurrency never count. That last list trips up founders and entertainers more than any other group. A large net worth in a company or in coins can leave thin eligible assets.
| Asset | Effect on your maximum |
|---|---|
| Cash, brokerage | Counts as liquid assets |
| Retirement (under 59.5) | Counted at 70% |
| Retirement (59.5+) | Counted at 80% |
| Business funds, gifts | Excluded |
| Crypto, unvested stock | Excluded |
| Non-revocable trusts | Excluded |
Only a revocable living trust is an exception to the trust exclusion, so confirm how your accounts are titled before you count them.
Leverage Shrinks as the Loan Grows
Size and leverage move in opposite directions. On a primary residence, through select wholesale programs and subject to underwriting, the ladder runs about 90% to $1,000,000, 85% to $2,000,000, 80% to $3,000,000, and 75% at the top credit tier to $4,000,000. Above that, every file is reviewed case by case, and the bank program’s own ladder applies.
Second homes and investment property run about five points lower at every size. An investment purchase between $1,000,000 and $1,500,000 tops out near 80%, while a primary-residence purchase in the same band can reach 85%. Cash-out is tighter again.
Why does leverage matter to an assets-only borrower? Because the down payment comes out of the same asset pool that qualifies you. A bigger down payment lowers the loan but also shrinks the assets left to count. Run both sides before choosing a price.
Credit, Reserves and Overlays at Size
Credit floors rise with the loan. Pricing and available terms vary by lender, borrower profile, property type, and full underwriting review. The super-jumbo line sits at $3,500,000 on a primary residence and $3,000,000 on a second home or investment property.
Reserves run 3 months to $500,000, 6 months to $1,500,000, and 9 months above. Each additional financed property adds 2 months, to a 12-month maximum, and first-time investors need 12. Above the super-jumbo line, expect a 0x30x24 housing history, 48-month seasoning on any credit event, and U.S. citizen or permanent resident status. Cash-out proceeds can’t satisfy reserves. Debt-to-income can reach 50% where DTI applies, with any asset income counted.
Cash-out is capped at $1,500,000 in hand above 60% LTV on the portfolio program. At or below 60%, proceeds are not capped. Interest-only, where offered, reaches 85% LTV with a 700 credit score floor on the portfolio program, while the bank program limits interest-only to 60% LTV; both apply to purchase and rate-term files only. Every figure here varies by lender and program — guidelines, property type, leverage, and credit profile all apply.
Can an Investor Use This on a Rental?
Yes, with a distinction. Business-purpose lending sits outside the consumer Ability-to-Repay rules, and the Federal Register notice treats investment-purpose loans as business-purpose. The Federal Reserve’s Regulation Z guidance classifies credit for a non-owner-occupied rental the same way.
Asset allowance is for primary and second homes only. For a rental, the practical choices are the assets-only path or a different documentation route. The investment ladder carries more points of haircut and a 700 credit floor in several bands.
Many investors compare this to a property-cash-flow loan. A loan that qualifies primarily on property-level rental income covering the payment, subject to lender guidelines, avoids the asset-pile requirement. The complete DSCR loans guide explains the rent-coverage alternative.
What Operators See on These Files
Three things derail large assets-only files. First, ineligible assets sit inside the headline net worth, and the count drops once crypto, business funds and gifts come out. Second, the borrower forgets that closing cash leaves the pool. Third, the file lands above $4,000,000 and the leverage assumption was a flat number instead of a case-by-case review.
Statements matter too. Recent consecutive statements are the evidence, and transaction histories never substitute.
Ways to Raise Your Maximum
- Move eligible liquid assets into documented accounts before applying.
- Check your debt-to-income before the asset income is counted. At or below 60%, the allowance uses the 36-month divisor, which produces the most qualifying income.
- Lower the loan by raising the down payment, if the pool can spare it.
- Add bank-statement income, since 12 or 24 months of deposits after an expense ratio can qualify instead.
- Use the P&L-only path, capped at 80%, if statements are thin.
- Ask the brokerage to compare programs, because the divisor and haircuts vary.
Bank-statement income can count transfers from your own business into a personal account at 100%. For borrowers whose returns understate income, that path sometimes beats an assets-only path outright.
Key Terms Defined
Asset allowance: A path that divides liquid assets by 36, 60 or 84 months to build qualifying income.
Assets-only: A path with no DTI, where liquid assets must equal the loan plus closing costs.
Divisor: The number of months used to turn assets into monthly qualifying income.
Super-jumbo line: The size above which tighter overlays apply, $3,500,000 on a primary residence and $3,000,000 on other occupancies.
Case-by-case review: A check of the full file before submission, required above $4,000,000.
Tax treatment can depend on how the funds are used and how the property is held; investors should keep clear records and speak with a qualified tax professional before relying on any deduction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a legal maximum for an assets-only mortgage?
No federal rule sets one. The limit comes from each program and your asset math. Through select wholesale programs, sizes run from $300,000 to $30,000,000, subject to full underwriting.
Does the loan use up my assets?
No. The assets qualify you; they aren’t sold or pledged. Cash for the down payment and closing does leave the pool, which lowers what counts.
How much leverage can I get at a very large size?
It drops steadily. A primary-residence purchase can reach 75% at the top credit tier to $4,000,000, then the bank program’s ladder applies on review. Second homes and investment property run lower. Everything above $4,000,000 is reviewed case by case.
Can I combine assets with other income?
Yes. The asset allowance path is supplemental at the 36- and 60-month divisors, so it can add to income from deposits or other sources. The combined qualifying ratio must still fit the 50% debt-to-income ceiling, and credit limits still apply.
Is this available in every state?
Consumer lending is licensed in 16 states: AL, CA, CO, FL, GA, IN, MI, MT, NM, NC, OH, PA, TN, TX, VA and WA. Programs change, and each file is underwritten individually.
If you are financing a high-balance property on your liquid assets and want to see how the numbers work, Lendmire can help you compare assets-only mortgage options based on your eligible assets, the property, credit profile, leverage, and your goals.
For current guidelines and terms, see Lendmire’s super jumbo bank statement loan programs page.
Lendmire’s self-employed mortgages page presents both super jumbo programs, bank statement and DSCR, side by side.
About Lendmire
Lendmire is a non-QM mortgage brokerage (NMLS# 2371349) arranging DSCR investor loans in 41 markets, including Washington, D.C. DSCR eligibility is generally reviewed around property-level rental income rather than personal income, subject to lender and program guidelines, a fit for self-employed investors and LLC-owned portfolios. Lendmire was recognized as a Scotsman Guide Top Mortgage Workplace in 2025 and 2026.
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References
1. CFPB ATR/QM Small Entity Compliance Guide
2. Federal Register: Ability-to-Repay and Qualified Mortgage Standards
This article is part of Lendmire’s super jumbo bank statement loan program — full qualification details, guidelines, and scenarios live on the program page.
Related reading: How a Super Jumbo Mortgage Works for Founders · How a Super Jumbo Mortgage Works for E-Commerce Sellers · How a Super Jumbo Mortgage Works for Entrepreneurs
Brandon Miller
Founder & CEO, Mortgage Loan Originator, Lendmire LLC
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Disclosures. The information presented in this article is general market commentary, not financial, legal, or tax advice. Lendmire is a mortgage brokerage (NMLS# 2371349) — not a direct lender or depository institution — and loan placement is subject to lender underwriting. Nothing in this content represents a commitment to lend. Loan terms, pricing, and program availability vary based on borrower qualifications, property characteristics, and state of subject property, and are subject to change at any time. Lendmire complies with Equal Housing Opportunity requirements. Consumer access: nmlsconsumeraccess.org.