Self-employed and asked for proof of income? The tax documents the IRS, HMRC and the CRA give you (US, UK, Canada)

Freelancers don't get payslips, so when you apply for a mortgage, a lease, a loan or a benefit you may be asked for tax documents instead. Here's what the IRS, HMRC and the CRA each provide, how to get it online or by post, what it shows and doesn't show, and what to do about the year you haven't filed yet.

General information, not tax, legal or lending advice. Not written or reviewed by a lawyer or an accountant. The short answer, the side-by-side summary, the steps, the checklist, the wording to copy and all the other wording are ours; the official items come from the US, UK and Canadian government pages linked below. This page is about a self-employed person working on their own who is asked to show their income. It doesn't tell you what any lender, landlord or agency will accept, how they work out your income, or whether you qualify: they set their own rules, so ask them. It doesn't cover companies, business tax transcripts, employment letters, credit checks, US states, Canadian provinces, Quebec, or other countries. Official pages were read on 2026-10-19.

The short answer

1. Ask first which documents and which tax years the lender, landlord or agency wants, and whether copies you print yourself are fine.
2. US: the IRS says a free tax return transcript, from your IRS online account or by mail, usually meets mortgage lenders' needs; some lenders ask the IRS for it directly, with your approval.
3. UK: your tax calculation and the tax year overview for the same year, printed from your HMRC online account or your filing software.
4. Canada: your notice of assessment, or the CRA's proof of income statement, from your CRA account or by phone.
5. Each one only covers years you've filed and the tax office has processed. For this year, you'd need a summary from your own records, labelled as yours, or accounts from an accountant.
6. Send documents only where you were asked to, and ignore messages that claim to be the tax office and ask for personal details.

On this page

• 1. United States: IRS transcripts
• 2. When a US lender asks the IRS directly
• 3. United Kingdom: tax calculation and tax year overview
• 4. Canada: notice of assessment and proof of income statement
• 5. The year you haven't filed yet
• 6. Requests that aren't from the tax office
• 7. Side by side
• 8. Step by step
• 9. Wording to copy
• 10. Checklist
• Free tools and kits
• Where the sources differ
• When to get advice
• Related
• Sources

1. United States: IRS transcripts

• What you can get: "You can access your personal tax records online or by mail, including transcripts of past tax returns, tax account information, wage and income statements, and verification of non-filing letters." (IRS: Get your tax records and transcripts, page date 27-Jun-2026).
• Online: "You may register to use Individual Online Account to view, print, or download all transcript types listed below." About the online account, the IRS says: "This is the fastest, easiest way to:"
  • View, print or download your transcripts
  • Find out how much you owe
  • Look at your payment history
• By mail: "To get a transcript mailed to you, you need your mailing address from your latest return." "What you get":
  • Tax return or tax account transcript types delivered by mail
  • Transcripts that arrive in 5 to 10 calendar days at the address we have on file for you
  "You may also request any transcript type listed below by submitting Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return."
• Free: "We offer the following transcript types at no charge:" (IRS: Transcript types for individuals and ways to order them, page date 10-Mar-2026). "The IRS offers various transcript types free of charge." (IRS: Tax Topic, copy or transcript of your tax return, page date 24-Sep-2026).
• The one lenders usually want: "Tax return transcript - shows most line items from your original Form 1040-series tax return as filed, along with any forms and schedules. It doesn't show changes made after you filed your original return." "A tax return transcript usually meets the needs of lending institutions offering mortgages."
• Later changes: "Tax account transcript - shows basic data such as filing status, taxable income, and payment types. It also shows changes made after you filed your original return." "Record of account transcript - combines the tax return and tax account transcripts above into one complete transcript."
• Forms clients filed about you: "Wage and income transcript - shows data from information returns we receive such as Forms W-2, 1098, 1099, and 5498." "The transcript will only display information return documents that have been filed with the IRS which may not reflect all the information return documents issued to you." See our guide to payment app forms for the forms platforms send.
• If you didn't file: "Verification of non-filing letter - states that the IRS has no record of a processed Form 1040-series tax return as of the date of the request. It doesn't indicate whether you are required to file a return for that year."
• A full copy instead: "A transcript isn't a photocopy of your return. If you need a copy of your original return, submit Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return. Refer to the form for the processing time and fee." "To get a complete copy of a previously filed tax return, along with all attachments (including Form W-2), submit Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return. Refer to the form for instructions and for the processing fee."
• Privacy: "Transcripts partially mask your personally identifiable information to protect you. Financial data will remain fully visible to allow for tax preparation, tax representation or income verification."
• Business accounts: "If you need a transcript for your business, find out how to get a business tax transcript." This page sticks to transcripts for individuals.

Self-employment income is on the schedule you file with your return: see Schedule C for US freelancers.

2. When a US lender asks the IRS directly

• What it is: "The IRS Income Verification Express Service (IVES) lets you authorize lenders, including banks, credit unions, and others to access your tax records when you apply for a mortgage, loan, or other service." "IVES only provides transcripts of your tax return or wage transcripts to third parties with your consent." (IRS: Income Verification Express Service (IVES) for taxpayers, page date 19-Apr-2026).
• The request: it comes through your IRS online account or by fax, on Form 4506-C. "Review your request in your IRS online account or business tax account on Form 4506-C. Make sure all information on the request is accurate. Carefully review:"
  • Taxpayer information. Verify your taxpayer identification number, your current address, previous address, and name. For businesses, verify your business name and address and employer identification number.
  • IVES participant contact. Check the third party that will receive your tax transcript from the IRS.
  • Client contact. Check the financial lender that will receive your tax transcript from the IVES participant. These may be the same company.
  • Transcripts requested. Find a detailed description of each transcript type on page 2 of Form 4506-C, IVES Request for Transcript of Tax Return PDF.
  • Tax years requested. Verify the tax years your lender is asking for.
• If the request is for a business account: the IRS lists the titles it accepts for approving business requests; "Sole Proprietor – Acceptable Title:"
  • Owner
  • Sole Proprietor
• Your choice: "The IRS will only send your tax records to the lender if you approve the request." To refuse, you reject the request in your IRS account, or don't sign the form. "Print and keep a copy of your request for your records."

3. United Kingdom: tax calculation and tax year overview

• What you can get: "You can get evidence of your earnings (‘SA302’) for the last 4 years once you’ve sent your Self Assessment tax return." "You can also get a tax year overview for any year." "You might be asked for these documents as evidence of your income, for example if you’re applying for a mortgage and you’re self-employed." "The tax year is from 6 April to 5 April the following year." (GOV.UK: Get your SA302 tax calculation, page date 2015-06-17).
• Printing it yourself: "You can print your own tax calculation and tax year overview if you do your Self Assessment tax return using either:"
  • HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC’s) online services
  • commercial software
  "Check that your mortgage provider accepts documents you’ve printed yourself." "You cannot print your documents until 72 hours after you sent your tax return."
• In your HMRC online account: "Go to ‘Self Assessment’, then ‘More details about your Self Assessment returns and payments’."
• If you file with software: "If you or your accountant use commercial software to do your return, you’ll need to use that software to print your tax calculation. It might be called something different in the software - for example ‘tax computation’." "You can still print a tax year overview from your HMRC online account."
• What the calculation shows: "Your tax calculation (SA302) shows:"
  • your total income on which tax is due
  • any allowances and relief you have
  • the total amount you owe for the tax year
  • how HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has worked out the amount you owe
  "It does not include any:"
  • payments on account (payments towards your next bill) you have made
  • payments you have made into a Budget Payment Plan
  • other outstanding amounts (such as unpaid tax or penalties)
  (GOV.UK: Understand your Self Assessment tax bill, tax calculation, page date 2024-10-29).
• When you get it: "You’ll get a calculation when you’ve filed your Self Assessment tax return or if the amount you owe changes." "If you filed a paper return, HMRC will send your calculation by post."
• What lenders on HMRC's list accept: "These lenders accept either:"
  • a copy of your tax calculation (SA302) printed from your HMRC online account
  • a tax calculation printed from commercial software used to submit returns
  "The lenders will also need a tax year overview, which you can print from your HMRC online account." "The lenders on this list have agreed to accept tax calculations and tax year overviews that customers, or their agents or accountants, have printed themselves." "Always check with the lender or mortgage provider what they require as evidence of your income." (HMRC: List of mortgage providers and lenders who accept a SA302 tax calculation and a tax year overview, page date 2020-06-08). We haven't copied the names on the list.
• Problems: "You can contact HMRC if you have any problems getting the documents."

For how the return itself works, see UK Self Assessment for freelancers.

4. Canada: notice of assessment and proof of income statement

• Notice of assessment: "A notice of assessment (NOA) is the summary of the calculated amounts for your income tax and benefit return. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) sends you these results after receiving your tax return." "The CRA will only send you a notice of reassessment (NOR) if changes are made to your assessed tax return. The NOR is an updated summary of the changes." (CRA: Notices of assessment, NOA or NOR, page date 2025-07-09).
• Online: "Your notice is available in your account once your return is processed. In most situations, this will happen immediately." "Sign into your CRA account to view or print your notices. If you do not have an account, you can register for one to easily access current or previous year notices."
• For a bank: "If your bank or anyone else needs a paper copy of a notice of assessment, all you need to do is sign in to your CRA account and print or download a copy." "You can access and print copies of past notices of assessment (issued after February 9, 2015) anytime in My Account." (CRA: Email notifications from the CRA, individuals, page date 2026-06-24).
• Online or paper: "Both the online and paper versions of the notice include all of the assessment information and are official CRA-issued federal income tax notices."
• By mail: "If you would like the CRA to mail a paper copy of your notice, you will need to call us to make the request."
• Delays: "It may take longer to issue an NOA if:"
  • You filed your return after the due date
  • CRA completes a review of your tax return
  The CRA lists a few more cases.
• Proof of income statement: "The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) can provide you with a proof of income statement, which is a simple generic version of your tax assessment. This document summarizes your income and deductions for a specific tax year." "You might need to provide proof of income to a bank, a government, or others when you apply for"
  • a loan
  • to qualify for a benefit or subsidy
  • or for other reasons that require proof of finances
  (CRA: Get a proof of income statement, page date 2019-12-19).
• Getting one: "Get a proof of income statement in My Account by selecting “Proof of income statement” from the “Tax returns” tab." "Online copy does not have the section 241 stamp, but the information is being released at the request of an authorized individual in accordance with Section 241 of the Income Tax Act." "Order a copy of a proof of income statement to be mailed to you. It can take up to 10 days to receive by mail." "Call our automated line to get a proof of income statement mailed to you." "To verify your identity, you'll need":
  • Social Insurance Number
  • Full name and date of birth
  • Your complete address
  • Line 15000 from your most recent assessment

Self-employment income is on your statement of business or professional activities: see our guide for Canadian freelancers.

5. The year you haven't filed yet

• None of the official pages we read offers a document for a tax year you haven't filed, or one the tax office hasn't processed yet.
• Our reading is that, for the current year, what you can offer is a summary from your own invoice and expense records, or accounts prepared by an accountant, labelled for what they are, alongside the official documents for past years. Ask the lender or landlord what they accept.
• Make the summary match how you keep your books: whether an invoice counts when you send it or when you're paid depends on your accounting method (see cash vs accrual), and expense tracking covers the records behind the costs.
• If a past year's figures changed after you filed, say so: see amending a filed return.

6. Requests that aren't from the tax office

• IRS: "The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information."
• CRA: "The CRA’s email notifications will not do the following:"
  • Ask you for personal or financial information
  • Request payment by prepaid credit cards or gift cards
  • Use aggressive language or tone
  • Threaten arrest or to send police
• These documents carry your income and personal details. Send them only to the lender, landlord or agency you're dealing with, through the channel they gave you. Our payment scams guide covers fake tax office contacts.

7. Side by side

Our summary of sections one to five, not official wording.

8. Step by step

Our order of steps, based on sections one to six — not an official checklist.

1. Ask the lender, landlord or agency exactly which documents and which tax years they want, and whether they accept copies you print yourself.
2. File any return that is still outstanding first: these documents come from returns the tax office has received and processed.
3. In the US, sign in to your IRS online account and download the transcript type you were asked for; if the lender uses IVES, check every line of the request before you approve it.
4. In the UK, print your tax calculation and the tax year overview for each year asked for, from your HMRC online account or your filing software, once the waiting period after filing has passed.
5. In Canada, print your notice of assessment or your proof of income statement from your CRA account, or call to have one mailed if a paper copy is wanted.
6. Check that the names, tax years and amounts match your return, and say so if a year was amended or reassessed.
7. For the current year, make a short summary from your own invoices and expenses and label it as your own records.
8. Send only what was asked for, through the channel the lender or landlord gives you, and ignore messages claiming to be the tax office that ask for personal details.
9. Keep a copy of what you sent, who you sent it to and when.

9. Wording to copy

Replace everything in [brackets]. This is ours, not from any agency, and it's not legal, tax or lending advice. Only send it through the channel the lender or landlord gave you.

Sending documents to a lender or landlord

Subject: Proof of income for [application or reference]

Hi [name],

As requested, I've attached proof of my self-employment income:

- [document name, e.g. tax return transcript / tax calculation and tax year overview / notice of assessment] for [tax year]
- [document name] for [tax year]
- A summary of my income so far this year, made from my own invoice and expense records

The first [number] documents come from [the IRS / HMRC / the CRA]. The summary is my own record: it hasn't been checked by a tax office or an accountant.

[If a year was amended or reassessed: My return for [tax year] was [amended / reassessed] on [date]; the attached document shows the updated figures.]

If you need anything in a different form, tell me what you need and I'll arrange it.

Thanks,
[your name]
[your business name, if any]

A summary of this year from your own records

Income summary so far this year (my own records, not an official document)
Name: [your name]
Business: [your business name, if any]
Period: [first day of your tax year] to [date]
Currency: [currency]
Invoiced in the period: [amount], from [number] invoices
Received in the period: [amount]
Business expenses in the period: [amount]
Received less expenses: [amount]
Still owed by clients: [amount]
Source: my invoice and expense records, [name of the file or software]
Last filed tax year: [tax year], [document name] attached
Prepared on: [date]

10. Checklist

Our summary of the official pages above, not an official checklist.

• Which documents and tax years the lender, landlord or agency wants, in writing
• Your filed returns for those years
• US: the transcript type asked for (or a full copy of the return, if they insist on one)
• UK: the tax calculation and the matching tax year overview for each year
• Canada: the notice of assessment or the proof of income statement for each year
• A note of any year that was amended or reassessed
• A current-year summary from your own records, labelled as yours
• A copy of what you sent, to whom and when

Free tools and kits

• Our free expense tracking guide shows a simple way to keep the cost records a current-year summary needs.
• Our paid Freelance Billing Kit by Small Rows (US$12, one-time) keeps the records a current-year summary is made from: the Invoices tab lists each invoice's issue date, amount paid and paid date, and the Tax Set-Aside tab totals what you received and your deductible expenses in each month of the calendar year set on Settings, with a year-to-date column. Those are your own records, not an official document. It doesn't produce a transcript, a tax calculation or a notice of assessment, work out your taxable profit, or send anything to a lender or a tax office.
• All three kits together: the All-Kits Bundle by Small Rows (US$24, one-time).

Where the sources differ

• The US transcript lenders usually want doesn't show changes: the IRS says the tax return transcript usually meets lenders' needs, but also that it doesn't show changes made after you filed. Our reading is that if you amended a return, you should tell the lender and ask whether they want the account transcript or the record of account, which do show later changes.
• The US wage and income transcript isn't your income total: the IRS says it may not show every form issued to you, and it lists what payers reported, not your business costs. Our reading is that it doesn't replace your return as proof of self-employment income.
• A UK copy on HMRC header paper: the tax bill page says "Find out how to get a copy of your tax calculation SA302, for example if you’re applying for a mortgage or if you need one on HMRC header paper." The page it links to doesn't say how to get one on header paper. Ask HMRC if a lender wants one.
• An old UK lenders list: HMRC's list of lenders who accept documents you print yourself was last updated years ago, so it may be out of date; as GOV.UK says, check with the lender.
• The CRA stamp: the CRA says the online proof of income statement doesn't carry the stamp under the Income Tax Act section it names. Our reading is that if a lender insists on a stamped copy, you should ask the CRA for the mailed version.
• Old page dates: the GOV.UK page on getting your tax calculation and the CRA proof of income page carry page dates from years ago, so menus and sign-in steps may have changed since.
• What we did not check: the transcript availability rules and FAQs, the request forms themselves, business tax transcripts, what any lender or landlord accepts, how lenders work out self-employed income, accountant's letters or certificates, US states, provinces and Quebec, and other countries' rules.

When to get advice

• you haven't filed one of the years a lender asks for, or a return is still being processed;
• a year was amended, reassessed or is under review;
• the lender asks for an accountant's letter, certificate or prepared accounts;
• your income runs through a company rather than you as a sole trader;
• the figures on the documents don't match what you expected;
• you've only just started freelancing and have no filed year yet.

Talk to an accountant, a tax adviser or a mortgage adviser in your country. This page is general information only.

Related

• Schedule C for US freelancers
• UK Self Assessment for freelancers
• Canadian self-employment statement for freelancers
• Amended tax return: fix a filed mistake
• Freelance expense tracking
• Cash vs accrual accounting for freelancers
• Payment apps and the forms they send
• Freelance payment scams

Sources

• United States: IRS: Get your tax records and transcripts (page date 27-Jun-2026) · IRS: Transcript types for individuals and ways to order them (page date 10-Mar-2026) · IRS: Income Verification Express Service (IVES) for taxpayers (page date 19-Apr-2026) · IRS: Tax Topic, copy or transcript of your tax return (page date 24-Sep-2026)
• United Kingdom: GOV.UK: Get your SA302 tax calculation (page date 2015-06-17) · GOV.UK: Understand your Self Assessment tax bill, tax calculation (page date 2024-10-29) · HMRC: List of mortgage providers and lenders who accept a SA302 tax calculation and a tax year overview (page date 2020-06-08)
• Canada: CRA: Notices of assessment, NOA or NOR (page date 2025-07-09) · CRA: Get a proof of income statement (page date 2019-12-19) · CRA: Email notifications from the CRA, individuals (page date 2026-06-24)

Checked 2026-10-19. Found a mistake? Tell us via Support.