Asset Depletion Mortgages in Palm Beach, FL

Plenty of Palm Beach homeowners have far more in their accounts than their monthly income would suggest. Asset depletion, sometimes called asset utilization, looks at those balances and builds a qualifying income from them, so a retiree or someone living on investments can apply without a salary. Here is which accounts usually count, how that figure is built and what to raise with a Florida loan officer before you shop.

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Savings, investments and retirement income in Palm Beach

65.4%Households with investment or rental income

45.5%Households with retirement income

75%Owner households 65+

77%Homes with no mortgage

65.4% of Palm Beach households receive interest, dividend or rental income, and 45.5% receive retirement income. Owners 65 and older head 75% of owner-occupied homes here. Buyers whose wealth sits in accounts rather than a paycheck are the ones asset depletion programs are designed around.

Which of your accounts a lender may count

A loan officer reviewing an asset-based file will ask for statements on each account you want included and will look at three things: whose name is on it, how quickly it could be turned into cash and whether anything is borrowed against it.

Cash accounts are the simplest to document. Investment accounts usually count for less than their face value to allow for market movement. Retirement balances may be considered when you are able to access them, though the lender may reduce them for taxes or withdrawal costs. A margin loan or a credit line secured by a portfolio typically lowers what can be used. If you hold annuities, trust assets or inherited accounts, bring the paperwork, since each program treats those differently.

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Prefer to talk first? Call (888) 508-8976. Applying is not a loan approval or commitment to lend; programs vary by borrower, property and investor. ClearPoint Mortgage Advisors, NMLS #173855. Properties in FL, NY, NJ, PA, CT and VA only.

How a qualifying income is built from savings

The arithmetic follows a set order. The lender first confirms your eligible balances and applies any discounts the program requires. It then sets aside the money you will use for the down payment, closing costs and the reserves the program expects you to keep. Whatever remains is divided by a number of months the program chooses, and the result is treated as monthly income.

That figure is then weighed against your housing costs and other debts, just as a salary would be. Nothing in the calculation requires you to withdraw money on a schedule; it is a way to show capacity. If you also receive Social Security, a pension or annuity payments, many programs let you add those on, which can reduce how much the accounts need to carry.

Who this tends to fit

You are between careers and living off savings while you decide what comes next
You inherited money that is held in cash or investment accounts
You are buying a second home and want your savings to count toward qualifying
You sold a business or a property and the proceeds sit in liquid accounts
Your Social Security or pension falls short without help from your assets

Local offices and Florida rules to know

Property assessment: Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's Office. Homeowners file for the Florida homestead exemption with the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser, which offers homestead e-filing and the DR-501 homestead application form.

Mortgage lenders, brokers and loan originators serving Florida are licensed by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. Non-QM loans are made by the same licensed lenders and brokers, so you can confirm any company's or loan officer's license on NMLS Consumer Access before you apply.

Downsizing or adding a second home in Palm Beach

Many asset-based buyers are moving from a larger house to a smaller one, or keeping their main home and adding a place near family or the water. Each plan raises its own questions. If you are selling first, the sale proceeds may become part of your eligible assets once they land in your account, and the closing statement will serve as the paper trail.

If you are buying before you sell, the lender will count the payment on your current home along with the next one, so the qualifying income has to cover both. For a second home, programs look at how you will use the property, and a home you plan to rent out may fall under a different category of loan. Tell the loan officer your plan for each property in the first conversation.

Before you call

A paper trail for any large deposit, such as the closing statement from a home or business sale
A note of who owns each account and whether anyone else must sign off
A decision on how much cash you will put down and how much you will keep in reserve
Your plan for your current home: sell first, buy first or keep it
Complete statements for every checking, savings, brokerage and retirement account you want counted

Questions Palm Beach borrowers ask about asset depletion mortgages

Does an asset-based loan cost more than a standard one?

Non-QM asset depletion loans often price higher than agency loans, because the investor accepts more risk when income comes from balances instead of earnings. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have narrower asset-based options that may cost less if you fit them. Ask a loan officer to price both paths where possible and compare full Loan Estimates, not a single advertised figure.

Can a couple combine their accounts?

Usually, when both people are on the loan and the accounts are in either or both names. If an account belongs to someone who is not applying, such as an adult child or a trust, the lender may require documented access or leave it out. Spouses with separate accounts should list them all, since the total pool affects the qualifying income a program can build.

Will the lender move or freeze my investments?

No. The lender reviews statements to confirm balances and ownership, but your accounts stay where they are and under your control. You can keep investing, rebalancing or drawing from them as you normally would. Large changes between application and closing can trigger a request for updated statements, though, so let your loan officer know before you make a major move.

Do retirement accounts count if I cannot withdraw without a penalty?

Some programs include them if you are able to access the funds, often after reducing the balance to allow for taxes and early-withdrawal costs. Others treat restricted retirement assets more cautiously or leave them out. Bring your plan documents so the lender can see your access rules. How a withdrawal would be taxed in your case is a separate matter, so talk to a tax professional.

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Get answers about asset depletion mortgages for a home in or around Palm Beach. Subject to credit approval; programs vary.