Free Proof of Income Letters (Templates & Samples)

A proof of income letter is written to disclose your income details to some company or a government body or even an individual for an important purpose. This letter is generally issued by the company you work. But, if you are self-employed, you can compile it on your own. The purposes of composing this letter could be;

• Obtaining a business/personal/any other loan,
• Renting a house/apartment,
• Applying for a residency visa
• Some other purpose

What is an income verification document?

A proof of income letter is a document that you present to an organization or business institution with some specific purpose. A bank or some other type of lending company is generally the institution.

Types of proof of income letters:

There are various reasons that why on need a proof of income letter. The most common reasons are;

• Why you are applying for a job
• When you want to apply for credit
• When you’re planning to rent a house or an apartment

However, the reason doesn’t matter, there is a need for income verification and the submission of this letter is a requirement. You may have to provide this letter to your potential future landlord, a bank or other agencies. The submission of this letter is important since it becomes a basis for the requester to make their decision. There are typically two main types of proof of income letters;

Self-written letter

In case, you run a business by yourself, then you may have to write this salary verification letter for yourself. You can also write the letter, ask your employer to sign it. You just have to ensure to print the document out on a letterhead.

It is also essential to include relevant information about your employment other than providing your salary in the letter. A self-written letter provides the similar purpose as a letter that your employer writes for you. In addition, you can also include information regarding additional sources of income.

Letter written on your behalf

You may request the document from your employer in case for some reason you cannot write the letter yourself. For making such a request, you may have to share your reason. The letter that your employer written should be printed on a letterhead. It should also contain company seal stamped in order to make it look official. Furthermore, this letter usually includes the following essential information;

• Your complete name
• Your job title
• Your current salary
• Your employment status

In the end, the writer of the letter should conclude it with their own contact details and signature.

Some other types of income verification documents:

Lenders, landlords, or many organizations request for other verification documents along with proof of income letter. These may include;

• Pay stubs
• Wage and tax statement
• Last year’s tax return
• Social Security proof of income letter
• Annuity statement
• Pension distribution statement
• Court-ordered agreements
• Unemployment compensation letter
• Workers’ compensation letter
• Interest and dividend income
• Severance statement

There are some standard documents for self-employed individuals;

• Annual tax returns
• Bank statements
• Profit and loss statements

How to write a proof of income letter?

If you want the letter to write yourself then follow the below steps in order to compose the proof of income form or letter;

Begin by including your basic information and contact details

Here, the person who is responsible for writing the income verification letter, include his complete name, business address, email address, and mobile number. The information you will provide will refer to you in case you’re writing a self-written verification letter. However, if you are self-employed, then you have to include the name of your business and other relevant information. At the top-left part of the document, place this information. By adding one line underneath, you have to separate this from the next part of the letter.

Briefly describe your letter’s purpose

By using a memo format, you can do this step just below your contact details. This precise message about the subject assists the reader in understanding quickly that they must continue reading since the subject is very significant.

Begin your letter with an appropriate salutation and the recipient’s proper name

You can use the standard salutation, “To Whom It May Concern,” if you are in doubt as to who you should officially address the letter to. Always keep in mind that you have to keep your greetings official and businesslike. Since this is not a casual letter, it shouldn’t begin with an informal or casual tone.

Provide a self-introduction and an explanation of why you have written the letter

For this, it is highly suggested to be as concise as possible. Bear in mind that your letter is just one letter that the recipient will read in a day. So, there is no need to waste their valuable time.

Give the details about your income

The details should include the following;

• How much your income is
• How you acquire this income
• How long you have made that much money
• To maintain the same amount of income, how long you can anticipate

Add information regarding any additional sources of income outside of your primary employment

You can have different income resources such as pensions, annuities, gifts or government benefits. You can mention the amounts and the frequency of these income sources.

At the end of your letter, include a statement if you have attached any documentation to your letter

You can help the reader transition if you have other documents attached to your letter. You can request them to examine the attached documentation as these would support the claims that you indicated in your letter. By adding these important these additional items, you makes sure that the reader will know that you have attached supplementary documentation.

Indicate your gratitude to the recipient for reading your letter

With the appropriate salutation, you have to close the letter formally followed by your complete name. Moreover, if you want to print your letter, ensure to leave two blank spaces among your name and the formal closing. This should be ample space for you to affix your signature right on top of your name.

Affix your signature by hand, if you plan to send a printed letter

You may have to attach an electronic signature to it first if you plan to send your letter through email.

The purpose of proof of income letter:

The main purpose of proof of income letter is to proof that someone works for you or has worked for you in the past. Your employee or former employee may ask you to write this letter so that they can use it as supporting evidence for;

Signing leases

The employee requires this letter when they are trying to lease a home, apartment or car. The lease issuer requires this letter in order to make sure that the employee can pay to uphold the lease.

Obtaining a credit card

A proof of income letter is required by an employee for getting a credit card to make sure that they can pay back debt if required.

To get a loan approve

Employee may need an income letter when they request a loan from a bank. This letter verifies that they’re able to pay it back with their salary.

Applying for another job

When an employee apply for another job, they have to submit this letter to another employer to confirm that they’ve earned a certain salary in the past or currently earning a salary.

How to obtain a verification letter?

Here are the steps and tips for obtaining a verification letter;

Search for the business entity

At first, search for the business and ensure that they are official business. Bear in mind that you can’t find a small business online as they may not have a functional website. You should become able to locate some contact details while looking up the business.

Call the employer

A phone call is the most effective way to get the information. To release information by the individual, some employers may need a written request or authorization. Firstly, you should ask them what they have to do to verify employment. You have to be kind and respectful.

Get past pay stubs

Pay stubs are used by landlord as proof of employment and income because they indicate what the individual makes as well as how frequently they get paid. It consists of details that most employment letters will have. Never accept anything that is over 60 days so check the dates on the pay stubs.

Get last 2 years of tax returns

Collecting tax returns is another good way to verify stable income. A good way to confirm income is getting the past two years of returns.

Run a credit report

A landlord can run a credit report as it contains some employment history. Also, it gives a history of whether or not accounts are paid.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, a proof of income letter is an important document to verify your income while applying for a loan, a new credit line, a rental agreement, or a lease. This letter can be written by yourself, by your employer, by your company’s accountant or even a social security caseworker.