Mortgage for the self-employed: how a bank calculates your income
Anyone who optimises their tax ends up with a low tax base, and a mortgage worked out from that comes out laughably small. But banks no longer have to calculate from it. What matters is which method the bank uses, and that differs from bank to bank. We've set out what income banks accept separately.
Does the bank calculate from your tax return, or from turnover?
Today, often from turnover. It used to be the tax base that mattered, a figure that a self-employed person deliberately pushes down. So banks introduced a second route: they take your turnover and accept a predetermined share of it as income.
Who this matters to most: anyone with high expenses or who uses a flat-rate expense allowance. The difference between the two methods is often millions of crowns of available mortgage.
Česká spořitelna describes it like this: "In the past, the tax base used to play the biggest role in assessing the income of the self-employed. Today, turnover can also be an important indicator." According to it, a mortgage based on turnover is available up to CZK 10 million and with LTV up to 80%. Source ↗ (in Czech), checked on 21 September 2026.
LTV is the share of the loan amount against the value of the property given as security. The ceiling is set by the Czech National Bank (CNB): 80%, or 90% for a home for yourself if you're under 36.
Each bank, though, accepts a different percentage of turnover, and some don't offer the turnover method at all. This decides how much you get more than the rate does.
What will you need to provide?
The basis is a tax return with confirmation that the tax was paid. Usually for the last two years.
For smaller loans, a bank tends to be more lenient. Česká spořitelna states that for a mortgage up to 5 million, a return for the last year alone may be enough.
On top of that, expect to provide statements from your business account, usually for several months up to a year. These are exactly what the bank reads turnover from when it uses the turnover method.
If you have income from elsewhere too, say from rent, it's proven separately with a tenancy agreement and a tax return.
What if I'm on the flat-rate tax scheme?
Then you don't file an ordinary tax return, so the bank has nothing to read a profit figure from. It doesn't close the door on you, it's just proven differently.
The bank works from account statements and accepts part of the turnover under its own methodology. The statements have to show that you genuinely are paying the flat-rate tax.
This is where the differences between banks are the biggest of any situation on this page. Some banks handle the flat-rate scheme without any trouble, others only with reservations. Choosing the bank in advance pays off here more than anywhere else.
How long do I need to have been self-employed?
Banks usually want to see at least one completed tax period, and some ask for two. They accept a shorter history only in exceptional cases.
It helps if you previously worked as an employee in the same field. Some banks will then recognise that as a continuation of your history and be more lenient with you.
What to hold off on, on the other hand: a new consumer loan or lease right before you apply. The bank will see its repayment in the registry and count it against your expenses.
How do we help with this?
For the self-employed, it isn't so much the rate that decides things as which method the bank uses to calculate your income. Our adviser will go through your tax returns and statements and tell you which bank on their list you'll come out best with.
This pays off especially because a rejected application stays in the bank credit registry for a year. Trying five banks blindly and getting turned down everywhere means reaching the sixth in a worse position than you started in.
You can work out the repayment right here, without leaving any contact details. You pay nothing, our adviser is paid by the bank. We'll tell you how much on request.
Frequently asked questions
My tax base is low. Can I get a mortgage at all?
Most likely yes, just not based on your tax base. Banks today can calculate a self-employed person's income from turnover and accept a predetermined share of it. Česká spořitelna offers a mortgage like this up to CZK 10 million with LTV up to 80%. Each bank accepts a different percentage, though, and some don't offer this method at all.
How many tax returns will I need?
Usually for the last two years, always with confirmation that the tax was paid. For smaller loans a bank tends to be more lenient: Česká spořitelna states that up to 5 million, a return for the last year alone may be enough.
I'm on the flat-rate tax scheme and don't file a return. What now?
It's proven differently, not that it can't be done. The bank works from account statements and accepts part of the turnover under its own methodology; the statements have to show that you are paying the flat-rate tax. The differences between banks are the biggest here, though, so choosing the bank in advance pays off twice over.
How long do I need to have been self-employed before I can take out a mortgage?
Banks usually want at least one completed tax period, and some ask for two. It helps if you previously worked as an employee in the same field, as some banks will then recognise that history as a continuation.
Will banks accept income from a limited company where I pay myself a low salary?
It depends on the bank, and the difference is large. Banks generally accept a director's remuneration, but not all of them accept a share of profit. Komerční banka's internal guidance lists it among income it does not accept. Raiffeisenbank will count it if you hold at least a fifth of the company and have run it for at least two years. So with a low salary and a high profit, the choice of bank decides how much you get lent. You'll need to provide the company's financial statements, its tax return, an extract from the Commercial Register and account statements.