A Mortgage Resource for California CPAs and Tax Advisors
Specialized Non-QM mortgage options for financially strong clients whose tax-efficient business structures limit conventional qualification.
Quick Answer
How can CPAs help clients whose tax returns do not support conventional mortgage qualification?
Cascada Mortgage Advisors, Inc. (NMLS #2470941, CA DRE #02206556) is a licensed California mortgage broker specializing in Non-QM programs for clients whose tax-efficient income structures prevent conventional mortgage qualification. Bank statement loans qualify borrowers on 12 to 24 months of deposits — not tax returns. Asset depletion loans qualify borrowers on liquid asset portfolios. These programs allow your clients' write-offs and business structures to remain intact while still accessing the mortgage financing they need. Broker Omar Michel (NMLS #398944, CA DRE #02131389) serves San Diego, Los Angeles, and all of Southern California. Not a direct lender. Loans arranged through third-party wholesale lenders.
— Cascada Mortgage Advisors, Inc.
Your clients trust you to minimize their tax liability. The same strategies that protect their wealth — depreciation, pass-through deductions, S-corp distributions, cost segregation — are the ones that get them declined at the mortgage desk.
This is not a coincidence. Conventional mortgage underwriting uses net taxable income from federal tax returns. For a business owner who writes off aggressively and legitimately, that number may be a fraction of their actual cash flow and net worth.
Cascada Mortgage Advisors, Inc. specializes in Non-QM programs that bypass this problem entirely. We qualify your clients on their actual financial picture — not the tax-optimized version the IRS requires them to report.
Your clients' tax strategy stays intact. Their mortgage gets done.
The Problem We Solve for Your Clients
A business owner client who grosses $2,000,000 through an S-corporation but takes $180,000 in salary and writes the rest off against legitimate business expenses shows approximately $180,000 in W-2 income plus a Schedule E K-1 that may show a loss after depreciation. A conventional underwriter declines.
A real estate investor with $400,000 in Schedule E rental income who claims $420,000 in depreciation shows net rental loss. A conventional underwriter declines.
A tech founder with $15,000,000 in vested equity and $0 in salary shows no qualifying income. A conventional underwriter declines.
None of these borrowers have a cash flow problem. They have a documentation problem — one that Non-QM programs are specifically designed to solve.
For more context, see our guide to mortgages for California business owners and CEOs.
Programs We Use for CPA-Referred Clients
Bank Statement Loans
12 to 24 months of personal or business bank statements replace tax returns entirely. An expense factor is applied (typically 30% to 50% depending on business type) to arrive at qualifying income. The program looks at actual cash deposits — not taxable income.
Your client's write-offs, depreciation, and deduction strategy are irrelevant to the underwriter. What matters is what deposits into the account — which reflects the business's actual performance.
Best for: Business owners, self-employed professionals, consultants, and executives with strong gross revenue whose net taxable income is reduced by legitimate deductions.
Asset Depletion
Eligible liquid assets — checking and savings accounts, brokerage portfolios, vested retirement accounts, RSUs — are divided by a set number of months (typically 84) to produce monthly qualifying income. No income documentation required.
Best for: Retirees with significant investment portfolios, executives with concentrated stock positions, business sellers with cash proceeds, and high-net-worth individuals who prefer to qualify on their balance sheet rather than document income.
P&L Only
A CPA-prepared profit and loss statement — rather than two years of tax returns — documents business income. This is particularly useful for clients with complex multi-entity structures where bank statements alone do not capture the full income picture.
This program actually creates a referral opportunity: clients who need a P&L for their mortgage will need their CPA to prepare it. We coordinate directly with your office and work around your timeline.
DSCR Loans for Real Estate Investors
Investment property loans that qualify on the property's rental income — not your client's personal income. No tax returns, no W-2s, no personal DTI calculation. Particularly relevant for real estate investor clients whose Schedule E depreciation creates a paper loss that disqualifies them from conventional investment property financing.
How the Referral Process Works
We keep it simple for you and frictionless for your client.
- You identify a client who has a mortgage need that conventional financing cannot meet.
- You make a warm introduction — one email or one phone call.
- We take it from there. Initial consultation is confidential, requires no credit pull, and takes approximately 20 minutes.
- We report back to you on what programs the client qualifies for and at what terms.
- If the client proceeds, we handle everything through closing — you stay informed without being involved in the mortgage process.
We do not cross-sell financial planning or investment services. We are a mortgage specialist. Your client relationship stays with you.
What We Do Not Do
We do not give tax advice. We do not tell your clients how to structure their income or modify their business arrangements. We do not second-guess your work.
We take the income picture as it exists and find the mortgage program that fits it. If a program does not exist that works for your client's situation, we tell you that directly and explain why — so you can set accurate expectations.
We are not a fit for every client. We are the right fit for the ones who have real financial strength and a tax return that does not show it.
Credentials and Experience
Cascada Mortgage Advisors, Inc. is a licensed California mortgage broker (NMLS #2470941, CA DRE #02206556) with access to 100+ wholesale lenders offering Non-QM programs including bank statement, asset depletion, P&L, pledged asset, and DSCR loans. As a broker rather than a direct lender, we submit each client's scenario to multiple lenders and return the most competitive terms available.
Broker Omar Michel (NMLS #398944, CA DRE #02131389) has 15+ years of experience working with self-employed borrowers, business owners, real estate investors, and high-net-worth individuals throughout San Diego and Southern California. He is a member of the California Association of Mortgage Professionals and a resource for the CalCPA San Diego chapter community (3,100+ members serving San Diego and Imperial Counties).
Bilingual English and Spanish service available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Us for a Professional Referral
Use the form below to introduce a client or ask a question about a specific scenario. We respond within one business day.
This form is for professional referrals and scenario questions — not for consumer mortgage applications. Consumer inquiries can be directed to our main contact page.