The ‘No-Income’ Mortgage: Using Your Assets to Pay for Your Next Home
By Jhenesis Mortgage Team | December 30, 2025
You’ve built substantial wealth — a seven-figure brokerage account, healthy retirement savings, or significant liquid investments. Yet when you apply for a mortgage, lenders focus only on your monthly cash flow and say you don’t qualify.
Enter the asset-based mortgage (also called asset depletion or asset utilization loan) — a powerful non-QM solution that turns your assets into “qualifying income” without forcing you to sell stocks, bonds, or retirement funds.
How Asset Depletion Works
Lenders calculate a hypothetical monthly income by dividing your eligible liquid assets by a set period (usually 360 months or based on your life expectancy).
Example: You have $1,000,000 in a brokerage account.
$1,000,000 ÷ 360 months = $2,778 per month of qualifying income.
This “income” is used to satisfy debt-to-income ratios — no W-2s, tax returns, or pay stubs required.
Asset Depletion Calculator – See How Much Loan You May Qualify For
Liquidity-to-Loan Quick Estimator
Enter your total eligible liquid assets to estimate monthly qualifying income and approximate max loan amount (assumes 7% rate, 30-year term, 25% down).
Who Benefits Most from Asset-Based Mortgages
- Retirees living off investments or distributions
- High-net-worth individuals with wealth in stocks/bonds
- Entrepreneurs who keep earnings in their business
- Foreign nationals purchasing U.S. property
- Anyone with substantial assets but irregular or low reported income
Eligible Assets & Typical Requirements
- Eligible: Brokerage accounts, mutual funds, stocks, bonds, 401(k)/IRA (100% value often used), CDs, money market
- Typically Not Eligible: Primary residence equity, business accounts, annuities with restrictions, crypto (in most programs)
- Credit Score: Usually 680+
- Down Payment: 20–40% (lower with stronger assets)
- Reserves: 6–24 months of payments often required
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an asset-based mortgage?
An asset-based (or asset depletion) mortgage qualifies borrowers using liquid assets such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and retirement accounts instead of monthly income.
Do I have to sell my investments to qualify?
No. Lenders calculate a hypothetical monthly income by depleting your assets over a set period (typically 360 months or your life expectancy), without requiring you to sell anything.
What types of assets can be used?
Most liquid assets: brokerage accounts, mutual funds, stocks, bonds, retirement accounts (401k, IRA), money market accounts, and CDs. Real estate equity is usually not included.
How much assets do I need to qualify?
It depends on the loan amount and program. Generally, assets must generate enough ‘depleted income’ to cover the mortgage payment plus a cushion for reserves.
Is this available in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, or DC?
Yes. Jhenesis Mortgage offers asset-based lending programs in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, and Washington DC.
Unlock Your Home Purchase with Your Existing Wealth
Stop letting low monthly income block your next home. Let us show you how your assets can work for you.