USA Question about renting without income

[Huntress]

Hi,

I am a freelancer, and I have been one for the past two years, so I never really needed an outside job. But now I'm trying to rent an apartment and a lot of them want 'proof of income' or some kind of tax form. I'm not exactly sure how to go about this because I haven't had a job yet. Do I need to register my freelancing as a business? Or are there other ways around it? Any help at all is appreciated.

 

[bklynboy]

I rent apartments and also require proof of income to both ensure that the tenant can afford the rent and has steady income that I can expect in the future. As a freelancer, I would assume you had income and filed taxes - show the prior 2 year tax returns to the landlord as proof of your annual wages. Worst case scenario, you may need to have someone cosign the lease if you dont have steady income in the past and also do not yet have a job. I dont think registering your business will change anything as they really want tax forms/pay stubs to see your income ability.

Also, they will likely run a credit check so its a good idea to run this yourself first to make sure there isnt anything that would be a red flag and will also give you the opportunity to fix any mistakes ahead of time.

 

[Marshall]

I also rent apartments and I agree with bklynboy that two years worth of income tax returns would satisfy me coming from a freelancer or other self employed person.

That assumes that you have been reporting your freelance income on your tax returns. If you haven't, that is a problem, of course (and in more ways than just messing up your ability to get an apartment).

 

[AccountantSalary]

Were they specific on what kind of tax form they needed? You may also want to see your credit report to check if there's anything that might prevent you from renting.