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Accountant home loans · Victoria

Home-loan strategies for Victorian accountants

Whether you are salaried, moving into partnership or running a practice, the way a lender treats professional membership and income can shape your options. We compare policies for eligible Victorian accountants and accounting professionals.

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Professional home-loan guidance across Victoria

The short answer

Can accountants borrow up to 90% without LMI?

Eligible accountants may be able to borrow up to 90% of the lender-assessed property value without paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) through selected lenders. Accepted professional membership, income and affordability, property, loan structure and current lender policy all matter. Not every accounting role or qualification qualifies.

Assess the whole application

Accounting expertise does not make lender policy uniform

Professional membership can open a policy pathway, while income structure determines whether the proposed loan is serviceable. Both need to align.

  • Verify your occupation, membership and any minimum income or experience criteria
  • Separate salary, bonus, partnership or business income into lender-acceptable evidence
  • Test whether an LMI waiver improves the whole loan—not only the upfront deposit
  • Compare owner-occupied and investment strategies using realistic repayments and costs

Salaried accountants

Base salary may be straightforward, while bonuses, overtime or a recent promotion can need additional history or employer confirmation.

Practice owners

Business income, add-backs, liabilities and retained profit need to be assessed under a lender’s self-employed rules.

Partners and directors

Partnership distributions or company income can be acceptable, but recent structural changes may affect the evidence period required.

Professional membership

A lender may specify acceptable accounting bodies, membership status and recency of evidence for a professional concession.

Home loans with a 10% deposit for eligible accountants

A 90% LVR waiver may help an eligible accountant purchase with a 10% contribution towards the property value, plus purchase costs. It may also help a qualifying refinance with less than 20% equity. Being employed in finance or bookkeeping does not automatically meet an accountant policy.

Membership and lender conditions

ANZ’s accountant guide (August 2024) describes up to 90% LVR without LMI and no minimum income for the waiver. Ordinary affordability assessment still applies. It lists current eligible CA ANZ, CPA, CFA Institute and FIAA credentials, including specified overseas or partner-body arrangements.

That guide’s 90% example is for owner-occupier or investor principal-and-interest lending. Ownership share, loan and property limits and total ANZ lending conditions apply; ANZ Plus is excluded. We confirm current policy, accepted membership level and any interest-only or other structure separately.

Westpac’s consumer guidance describes a 10% deposit waiver for eligible accountants and lists IPA, CA ANZ, CPA Australia, CFA Institute Australia and FIAA memberships. Its income and other eligibility conditions must also be checked. IPA membership appearing in Westpac’s list does not establish eligibility under ANZ’s different list.

A simple 90% LVR example

With a purchase price and lender-assessed value of $1,000,000, a $900,000 loan represents 90% LVR. You would contribute $100,000 towards the price and separately fund any stamp duty, conveyancing, registration, inspections and loan costs. A lower lender valuation can increase the cash required. The example does not promise approval or a particular LMI saving.

Prepare your evidence

  • Current professional membership evidence showing your membership level, plus identification.
  • Recent payslips and employment details, or tax returns, notices of assessment and practice or partnership accounts as required.
  • Deposit or equity evidence, debts, living expenses and the proposed ownership structure.
  • Property details, intended use and requested repayment type.

LMI protects the lender. A waiver removes a premium; you remain responsible for repayments and it does not protect your income. Compare the complete rate, fees and interest cost against a lower-LVR loan, and retain a realistic cash buffer. Estimate repayments or discuss accountant lending with Chris.

Sources checked 3 November 2026. ANZ’s linked guide is dated 2024. Published examples need current lender confirmation before you rely on them.

Compare the policy fit

Membership may help, but evidence drives borrowing capacity

A waiver policy and the calculation of income are different decisions. The best lender needs to handle both parts of the application well.

Decision point
Standard assessment
Professional policy may consider
Credentials
No professional membership concession is used.
An eligible accounting-body membership or qualification may be required.
Salary/bonus
Variable components may need a history and be shaded.
Income rules still apply even if the borrower qualifies for an LMI waiver.
Practice income
Assessed from business and personal financial evidence.
May combine a profession concession with separate self-employed verification.
Deposit
LMI commonly applies over 80% LVR.
An eligible accountant may receive a waiver at a lender-approved higher LVR.

How it works

A policy-led review before you apply.

  1. 01

    Confirm membership, role, income structure, liabilities, deposit and intended property use.

  2. 02

    Compare eligible-accountant and standard lender policies, including total cost and documentation.

  3. 03

    Prepare current membership and income evidence before submitting the selected application.

Common questions

Clear answers for Victorian professionals

Can an accountant refinance up to 90% LVR without LMI?

Potentially, if the lender allows the refinance and the applicant meets its professional, equity, income, property and credit requirements. Compare switching costs and the total loan cost as well as the waiver.

Can a self-employed accountant get an LMI waiver?

Potentially. Professional membership eligibility does not replace income verification. A practice owner or partner still needs acceptable business and personal financial evidence and sufficient serviceability.

Can I apply with a partner who is not an accountant?

A joint application may be possible. Check the eligible professional’s ownership share, all applicants’ finances and the lender’s joint-borrower rules before assuming a waiver is available.

Does membership automatically give me a 90% LVR waiver?

No. The exact membership level and current evidence must be accepted, and the loan, property, income and credit assessment must also qualify. The lender must approve the concession.

Which accounting memberships do lenders accept?

Acceptable bodies and membership levels vary by lender and can change. Current membership evidence may be required, so confirm the exact lender criteria rather than assuming any accounting qualification will qualify.

Do bookkeepers qualify for accountant professional policies?

Not automatically. Lenders use specific occupation and membership definitions. A bookkeeping role may not meet a policy intended for eligible accountants even when the work is related.

Can a practice owner qualify?

Potentially. The professional concession may apply, but the practice income still needs to meet the lender’s self-employed documentation and serviceability rules.

Can newly promoted partners use partnership income?

It depends on the lender and available evidence. Some require a history of partnership earnings; others may consider contracts, forecasts or prior salaried income under defined conditions.

Is an LMI waiver always cheaper?

It can remove a significant upfront cost, but the interest rate, fees, loan amount and long-term repayments still matter. Compare the complete cost with lower-LVR and non-waiver options.

Professional lending hubLMI-waiver guideSelf-employed home loans

Content updated 3 November 2026. General information only and not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice. Professional eligibility, LMI treatment, loan-to-value limits, rates, fees and credit criteria vary by lender and can change. Approval and any LMI waiver are not guaranteed.

Official information: ANZ accountant LMI guide (August 2024) · Westpac consumer accountant eligibility information · CPA Australia membership information

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