SCENARIO

Refinance: recapture mainstream rates, upgrade alt-doc to full-doc

Took an alt-doc loan two years ago, now have full ITR + NOA? We move you to a full-doc lender — repayment savings, cashback, and switch fees in one net number.

Who this is for

  • ·Existing self-employed loan ≥ $250k, held 12+ months
  • ·Originally alt-doc, now have cleaner tax history
  • ·Want cashback or a rate reduction of 0.3%+
  • ·No missed repayments in the last 6 months

What we handle

  • Cashback comparison ($1.5k–$4k available to self-employed borrowers)
  • Break-cost estimation (during fixed period)
  • Alt-doc → full-doc upgrade (if 2 yrs ITR now available)
  • Servicing rerun: capacity today may be higher or lower than original loan

Documentation Pathway Matrix

Find the rate, LVR, and turnaround that matches the documents you can supply.

Full-doc

What you bring

2 yrs ITR + NOA · company financials · BAS

Rate from
5.94%
Max LVR
80%
Turnaround
14–21 days
Lenders
10

Alt-doc

What you bring

6 mo bank statements · ABN ≥ 2 yrs · self-declaration

Rate from
6.29%
Max LVR
75%
Turnaround
14–28 days
Lenders
11

BAS-only

What you bring

4 quarters of BAS · ABN ≥ 2 yrs

Rate from
6.39%
Max LVR
75%
Turnaround
10–21 days
Lenders
7

Accountant letter

What you bring

Signed accountant declaration · 6 mo bank statements

Rate from
6.49%
Max LVR
75%
Turnaround
14–21 days
Lenders
6

Indicative only — actual rate and LVR cap subject to lender formal approval.

Honest trade-offs

  • Don't be cashback-blinded — comparison rate is what determines real savings
  • Break cost during a fixed period can be $5k–$15k, often wiping out the gain
  • New lender re-runs servicing — with higher rates and tightening add-back rules, capacity can drop

Frequently asked

When does refinance actually pay off?

Rough rule of thumb: a 0.3%+ rate reduction on a balance ≥ $300k typically breaks even within 12 months, net of switch fees. We model break-even month against your actual numbers.

How much can rate drop moving alt-doc → full-doc?

Typically 0.3–0.5%. If alt-doc was used 2 years ago and you now have 2 yrs of ITR + NOA, most full-doc lenders will accept under standard self-employed policy.

Is the refinance cashback available to self-employed?

Yes, but some lenders limit cashback to PAYG. We flag which lenders extend cashback to self-employed without reduction.

Will the new lender check my current repayment history?

Yes. Any missed repayments in the past 6 months land on your credit file and are visible to the new lender. A single late payment can be explained; multiple usually trigger decline.

Next step

3-minute pre-check for refinance

Drop a few basics. We cross-check 40+ lenders against your situation and return how much you can borrow + which doc pathway is right for you.