Paid in salary, bonuses or stock? Start here.

Start with the pieces, not the headline.

If your pay includes a salary, bonuses or company stock, you do not need to work out the lender’s math yourself. Start by listing what you receive regularly and what changes from year to year.

For stock awards, note what you already own and what you may receive later. “Vesting” is when you earn ownership of an award under your employer’s rules. Tell your loan officer about recent job changes, too. The total in a job offer may differ from the income a lender can use.

Make the stock conversation concrete.

Restricted stock units, or RSUs, are a type of employer stock award. A lender needs to understand when you receive the shares and how the award works. The value on your company dashboard is not automatically the income used for your mortgage. Fannie Mae’s stock-income rules give one example of this review.

We can help you ask which records are needed, such as pay statements and your stock-award schedule. A change in share price or job history may affect the answer.

Also separate income used to qualify from shares you might sell for a down payment. Keep enough cash for expenses after the purchase. Talk with your tax or investment adviser before deciding whether to sell shares.

Give variable pay its own history.

Bonuses and commissions can vary. Lenders may look at what you earned over time and whether that income is likely to continue. Rules differ by lender and loan. Fannie Mae’s bonus and commission guidance explains one approach.

Write down when you receive the payments and why a particular year was higher or lower. You do not need to make the numbers look perfect. An honest explanation helps your loan officer understand the pattern.

Prepare a focused first conversation.

• List salary, bonus, commission and equity compensation as separate items.
• Note employment changes, vesting dates and unusual payment periods.
• Ask which income sources can be evaluated for the proposed loan.
• List where your down payment will come from and the savings you will keep afterward.
• Request a secure channel and a tailored document list before uploading records.

The amount a lender approves may be more than you feel comfortable spending. Consider a housing payment that still works during a quieter bonus year or a period when you prefer not to sell shares. The CFPB’s homebuying budget guide helps frame spending alongside savings and the ongoing costs of ownership.

Getting these answers early helps you and your agent plan. The lender still needs to approve the loan, but you will know which questions need attention before you make an offer.