Lender Checklist: What You Need for a Mortgage

• W-2 forms — or business tax return forms if you're self-employed — for the last two or three years for every person signing the loan. 
• Copies of at least one pay stub for each person signing the loan. 
• Account numbers of all your credit cards and the amounts for any outstanding balances. 
• Copies of two to four months of bank or credit union statements for both checking and savings accounts. 
• Lender, loan number, and amount owed on other installment loans, such as student loans and car loans.
• Addresses where you’ve lived for the last five to seven years, with names of landlords if appropriate. 
• Copies of brokerage account statements for two to four months, as well as a list of any other major assets of value, such as a boat, RV, or stocks or bonds not held in a brokerage account.  
• Copies of your most recent 401(k) or other retirement account statement. 
• Documentation to verify additional income, such as child support or a pension.  
• Copies of personal tax forms for the last two to three years.