Self-Employed Home Loans for Nurses & Healthcare Professionals
By Glenn Quisay, Director & Founder, Swish Mortgages — Melbourne
You care for others. We’ll look after you.
If you’re a nurse, midwife, allied health professional, locum, practice owner, NDIS provider, or an agency contractor earning part (or all) of your income under an ABN, getting a home loan can feel harder than it should. Lenders often treat self-employed income differently, ask for extra paperwork, and sometimes miss the story behind your numbers — shift loadings, irregular rosters, short contracts, multiple workplaces, or time off between placements.
At Swish Mortgages, we specialise in healthcare lending and make the process simple, transparent and stress-free. We package your application the way credit assessors prefer to see it, so you can focus on patients, not paperwork.
Why self-employed healthcare workers choose Swish
Empathy, expertise, and a plan. I spent six years at NAB across lending, equipment finance and business loans before founding Swish. I’ve helped countless nurses and medical professionals buy with confidence — from first homes to family upgrades and investments. We’ll guide you end-to-end, explain the “why” behind every requirement, and do the heavy lifting with the banks.
What you’ll get with Swish:
- Clear strategy from day one — borrowing capacity, deposit options, and the most suitable lenders for healthcare income.
- Smart income presentation — we’ll interpret your tax returns, BAS and bank statements, and identify legitimate add-backs (e.g. depreciation, non-recurring expenses) to strengthen your case.
- Flexible policy know-how — access to a wide lender panel, including options that may consider one year of financials, alt-doc, or mixed PAYG + ABN income.
- Real-world timelines — we set expectations upfront and keep you updated at each step.
- Support after settlement — rate reviews, refinance checks, and help with future goals like a second property or renovations.
Nurses are time-poor. We keep it human, explain in plain English, and answer your questions quickly — evenings included.
Who this page is for
If any of these sound like you, we can help:
- ABN nurse or midwife (agency, contractor, private or community care)
- Locum doctor or allied health contractor (physio, OT, speech, dietitian, podiatry, psychologist)
- Practice or clinic owner (company or trust)
- NDIS provider (sole trader, partnership, company, or trust)
- Cosmetic/aesthetic nurse as sole trader or via company
- Combination income (PAYG hospital shifts + ABN contracting)
Finance For Nurses
Start here for an overview of lending options tailored for nurses, midwives and healthcare professionals.
Other Loans
Explore loan options designed for nurses, midwives and healthcare professionals. We understand overtime, shift penalties and salary packaging — and we know which lenders value them.
First Home Buyer Loans
Access nurse-only low-deposit pathways, potential LMI waivers, and guidance through grants and schemes.
See First Home Options →Second Mortgage Loans
Tap a secondary facility for short-term cash flow, bridging, or project funds—structured to minimise risk.
Explore Second Mortgages →Investment Property Loans
Build your portfolio with policies that respect essential service income and smart structures for cash flow.
Investor Loan Options →Refinance Loan
Lower your rate, simplify debts and keep the features that suit your roster—without the paperwork grind.
Refinance & Save →Equity Loans
Use built-up equity for renovations, investing or a safety buffer—set up with clear purpose-based splits.
Use Your Equity →Trust Loans
Entity-friendly lending with documentation and structure for asset protection and future flexibility.
Trust & Company Lending →SMSF Loans
Specialist LRBA guidance with accountant coordination and lender policy alignment for smooth execution.
SMSF Lending →Construction Loans
Progress-payment facilities and contingencies tailored to your build timeline and variable shifts.
Build with Confidence →How lenders assess self-employed home loans
1) Streamlined or “fast-track” style assessments
Some lenders can assess without full business financials if you meet certain criteria (e.g. strong personal income history, solid deposit, clean credit). Great for well-documented cases.
Typically needed:
- Last two years’ ATO Notices of Assessment (personal)
- Evidence of ongoing income (PAYG, rental, and/or regular ABN activity)
2) One-year financials accepted (case-by-case)
When the most recent year reflects today’s trading level — e.g., more ABN hours or a clinic scaling — some lenders may accept one financial year plus support.
Typically needed:
- Latest personal tax return + Notice of Assessment
- Latest business tax return + financial statements
- Business liabilities summary
3) Standard two-year financials (most common)
Often required for higher LVRs or complex structures (company/trust/multiple entities). Maximises borrowing power where profits are consistent.
Typically needed:
- Last two years personal tax returns + Notices of Assessment
- Last two years business tax returns + financials
- Details of business liabilities (leases, car loans, credit cards, ATO plans)
Good to know: We’ll review your financials like a credit assessor — add-backs, normalising one-offs, and clarifying dips due to maternity leave, study, or roster changes.
Documents checklist (we’ll tailor this)
Not every lender needs everything — we’ll curate your list so it’s not a paper chase.
- ID & basics: Licence/passport, Medicare, AHPRA (if relevant)
- Income (PAYG): 2–3 payslips, YTD summary, employment letter
- Self-employed: ABN details; tax returns & NOAs (1–2 yrs); financials (P&L, balance sheet); BAS and/or business bank statements (6–12 mo); accountant letter (alt-doc)
- Liabilities & living costs: Credit cards, HELP, car/equipment finance, leases
- Savings & deposit: Bank statements, gift declarations
- Property: Contract (if found), stamp duty estimate, refinance/security details
Borrowing capacity & medico/LMI policies
Healthcare income can be lumpy — double shifts one fortnight, study leave the next. Lenders average income and look for consistency. We’ll model scenarios including:
- Shift loadings, penalty rates, and overtime
- Agency or casual hours across sites
- Locum rosters with gaps
- NDIS invoices and payment cycles
- Mixed PAYG + ABN income
- Add-backs (depreciation, one-off equipment)
- Impact of business vehicle/equipment finance
Tip: Planning a change (new contract, more ABN hours, returning from parental leave)? Talk to us early — timing can improve outcomes.
Deposit, LMI and medico policies
- Deposit: 20% gives maximum flexibility. Lower deposits may involve LMI.
- Medico policies: Some banks have special settings for eligible medical professions. We’ll check eligibility and compare vs standard policies.
- First-home buyers: We’ll explore any current schemes or duty concessions and explain the fine print.
Business structures we work with
- Sole trader (common for ABN nurses, midwives, allied health)
- Partnerships (e.g., two clinicians sharing a clinic)
- Companies (Pty Ltd) with/without retained earnings
- Trusts (discretionary/unit, with corporate trustees)
Each structure has quirks — from how company car leases are treated to what trust distributions a lender accepts. We translate your income story for credit.
Our simple, step-by-step process
- 10-minute discovery call — goals, work pattern, timeframes; quickest, cleanest path.
- Pre-assessment & strategy — collect only what’s needed; estimate borrowing; shortlist lenders.
- Document prep & packaging — present strengths; pre-empt questions (esp. ABN income).
- Submission & updates — manage application, valuation, and conditional approval.
- Full approval & settlement — coordinate with conveyancer and lender.
- Aftercare — ongoing rate reviews and check-ins.
Healthcare scenarios we handle often
- Agency nurse with mixed income: PAYG at two hospitals + ABN agency work — average the right periods and evidence stability.
- Midwife growing a side business: One strong year after marketing costs — target one-year financials + BAS support.
- Locum GP with gaps: Strong day rates with planned breaks — position cash buffers and roster pattern to credit.
- NDIS provider scaling up: Rising invoices — consider bank-statement/BAS-supported alt-doc where suitable.
- Clinic owner with equipment finance: Clarify liabilities, identify add-backs, show sustainable net income.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Options exist — especially if you also have PAYG income, strong savings, or consistent ABN turnover via BAS/bank statements. Policies vary.
Not always. Some lenders consider one year (with supporting evidence) or alt-doc. Others prefer two years. We’ll match your situation.
Lenders usually average income over a set period and look for ongoing hours. We’ll present true long-term earning capacity including accepted penalties/loadings.
Not a deal-breaker with all lenders, but must be disclosed. We’ll show servicing impact and whether clearing it helps before applying.
If borrowing > 80% LVR, LMI may apply. We compare total cost (rate + fees + LMI) to pick what suits you best.
Often yes — with the right documentation. We’ll confirm how each lender treats retained earnings, dividends, and distributions.
Let’s turn your income into an approval
You deserve a broker who understands how healthcare really works. Let’s turn your hard-earned income — shifts, rosters, invoices and all — into a confident home loan approval.
- Online: swishmortgages.com.au/contact
About Our Founder — Glenn Quisay
Melbourne-based mortgage broker, MFAA accredited, and founder of Swish Mortgages. Former NAB banker with $18.8m in drawdowns and multiple Banker of the Month awards. Degree in Business (Victoria University). I help nurses and healthcare professionals buy homes with clarity and confidence — minus the jargon and hassle.
General information only. This is not financial advice. Lending criteria, fees and charges apply. Speak with us for tailored guidance to your circumstances.