Evidence and eligibility
What evidence can lenders use besides a tax return?
BAS, bank statements, an accountant's letter and committed contracts all count as evidence, depending on the amount and the lender.
Chorus Commercial. Published 2026-02-22, updated 2026-09-08.
Short answer
Often there is a path. Lenders want evidence that the business earns what you say it earns and can service the facility. A tax return is one form of that evidence among several.
Which evidence a lender accepts depends on the amount, the facility type and the lender's own policy. That is the matching a broker does before you spend time on paperwork.
Evidence lenders can use
Recent BAS, which show current turnover.
Business bank statements, usually three to six months, which show the money actually moving.
An accountant's letter or interim financial statements where the last return is out of date or does not reflect current trading.
Committed income: signed contracts, purchase orders or a rent roll.
For equipment, some lenders offer low-doc finance below a threshold amount for established businesses with a clean repayment history, subject to assessment.
What still matters
Time trading, GST registration and repayment history carry weight with every lender. A director's personal credit file is usually reviewed. Property ownership widens the choice of lenders for some products.
Lenders also look at the story: a bad year with a clear cause and a recovery in the BAS reads differently from a steady decline.
The practical next step
Send an enquiry with the amount, the purpose and whatever evidence you already have. We tell you which lenders fit, what they will ask for, and whether the cheaper full-doc path is worth waiting for. No credit check is authorised by enquiring.
Sources: Moneysmart: business finance, ATO: business activity statements. General information only; any finance is subject to lender assessment and approval.