APRA 3% serviceability buffer confirmed May 2026 reduces borrowing power. DTI ≥6 cap limits high-debt lending to 20% of new loans from Feb 2026. Use our borrowing power calculator to estimate your maximum loan.
Lenders in 2026 rely on granular bank statement analysis for low-doc loans, scrutinising income proxies, living expenses, and transaction narratives under APRA’s tightened standards. Read Arrivau’s guide.
Childcare expenses often evade lender expense benchmarks, distorting serviceability. This analysis of the HEM calculator reality unpacks how childcare costs affect Australian mortgage applications, backed by RBA, APRA and Treasury data.
For Australian business owners, a director’s loan add-back can significantly boost borrowing capacity by recasting discretionary withdrawals as assessable income. This guide explains the mechanism, ATO Division 7A constraints, and lender-specific policies to maximise serviceability.
Bankwest is now assessing eligible refinancers with a 1% serviceability buffer instead of the standard 3%. Here is who qualifies, what is excluded, and why it matters for borrowers trapped by the buffer.
Lenders look for evidence of savings discipline, not just a lump sum. What counts, what doesn't, and the workarounds.
HEM, child maintenance, rental shading, credit card limits - every line item that shifts your maximum loan.
APRA tells lenders to assess borrowers at current rate + 3%. It's why a 6% loan gets stress-tested at 9%.