How do you prove you have the money?

Who asks and why

• Mortgage lenders — to confirm the down payment, closing costs and reserves are yours and not borrowed.
• Home sellers — with a cash offer, or to check that a buyer can close.
• Landlords — for a lease, especially without a long local credit history.
• Private investments — to confirm you qualify as an accredited investor.
• Visa and immigration offices, schools — to show you can support yourself.
• Business partners and counterparties — before a deal.

Each asks a slightly different question: do you have this amount now, where did it come from, or what are you worth overall.

What counts as proof

1. Bank and brokerage statements — recent, complete, every page, with your name and the institution.
2. A bank letter or verification of deposit — signed by the bank, with the balance and often the average balance.
3. A capital or net worth statement — assets, liabilities and the date of each valuation, for requests about total wealth.
4. Retirement account statements — showing the vested amount you could actually withdraw.
5. Source documents for recent money: a sale contract, a gift letter, a bonus statement.

Screenshots and spreadsheets you made yourself are rarely enough on their own.

The mortgage rules

Fannie Mae's Selling Guide, which most US lenders follow for conventional loans, asks for statements covering the most recent full two months of activity for a purchase. Any large deposit — a single deposit over 50% of your total monthly qualifying income — must be explained and documented. Unverified funds cannot be used for the down payment, closing costs or reserves.

That is why the money you plan to use should sit in your account, in your name, for at least two full statements before you apply — or come with paper that shows where it came from.

A worked example: buying a home

A buyer in the US with $9,000 of monthly qualifying income buys a $400,000 home:

If a $15,000 transfer from a parent arrived last month, it is above the threshold: the lender will ask for a gift letter and proof of the transfer. Moving money between your own accounts also needs a paper trail — statements from both accounts.

Show exactly as much as needed.

Accredited investor: proof of net worth

For many private investments in the US you must be an accredited investor. One way to qualify is a net worth over $1 million, alone or with a spouse or spousal equivalent, excluding the value of your primary residence. Another is income over $200,000 ($300,000 jointly) in each of the last two years.

Here a single balance is not enough: you show the whole picture — assets and liabilities with dates — and the issuer verifies it. A clear statement of your net worth, with sources for each valuation, makes that quick.

What not to share

• Transaction details the request does not need. A balance letter often works instead of a statement full of purchases.
• Full account numbers. Mask all but the last four digits where you can.
• Unrelated accounts. Prove the amount required, not everything you own.
• Anything by unsecured email to someone you have not verified — proof-of-funds requests are a common fraud setup.

How to do it in AOS

Common mistakes

1. Moving money right before applying. New, unexplained deposits slow everything down.
2. Sending incomplete statements. Missing pages mean a new request.
3. Counting money you can't reach. Unvested retirement funds or locked deposits are not available funds.
4. Using outdated balances. Most requests want statements from the last 30–60 days.
5. Oversharing. Send the minimum that answers the question.