How to Get a CPA Letter: What It Can Confirm

Someone wants a “CPA letter” from you. Usually it’s a mortgage underwriter, a landlord, an immigration attorney or a bank, and usually they want it by Friday. They rarely say what it should contain. Worse, a lot of CPAs won’t sign the wording they suggest. So here’s what a CPA letter actually is, what a CPA can and can’t put in one, and how to get one in about 3 to 5 business days instead of a week of back and forth.

What is a CPA letter?

A CPA letter is a short, signed letter from a licensed CPA that confirms specific facts about you or your business. Common examples:

• You’ve been self-employed for a certain number of years
• The CPA prepared your tax returns for named years
• Your business exists, is active, and is owned by you
• Income figures that match filed tax returns or financial statements

It’s not an audit. It doesn’t give an opinion on your finances either. Its whole value comes from one thing: a licensed professional, who can lose that license for misstating facts, is confirming what the documents show.

Who asks for one, and why

Who is asking	What they usually want confirmed	Related page
Mortgage lender	Self-employment history and that the business is operating	Mortgage comfort letters
Landlord or leasing office	Income or self-employment for a rental application	Income verification letters
Bank, vendor or partner	Business existence, ownership and years in operation	Business verification letters
Immigration attorney	Facts about a company’s finances or a founder’s income for a petition	EB-2 NIW case study

What a CPA can confirm, and what they can’t

This is where most requests stall. Lenders sometimes send a template asking the CPA to promise things nobody can know, like whether your income will hold up for the next 36 months. Professional standards and most firms’ insurance rule that out.

A CPA can usually confirm	A CPA should not confirm
That they prepared specific tax returns	That your income will continue
How long you’ve been self-employed, based on records they’ve seen	That you can afford a loan or a lease
The figures on filed returns or financial statements	That taking money out of the business won’t hurt it
Business name, entity type, ownership and status	Anything they haven’t seen evidence for

The third row on the right is the one mortgage underwriters ask about most, usually phrased as “the withdrawal of funds will not have a negative impact on the business”. Many CPAs decline to sign that sentence because it’s a prediction, not a fact. A good letter gives the underwriter the facts they need instead, such as cash balances and the business’s history, so they can make that call themselves. Our article on CPA comfort letters for self-employed borrowers goes deeper on mortgage requests.

How to get a CPA letter: five steps

1. Ask the requester for their exact wording or checklist. If they have a form, get it before you contact a CPA. It saves a full round of edits.
2. Go to the CPA who prepared your returns first. They already have the records, so the letter is faster and usually cheaper. If you don’t have one, a new CPA can still help, but they’ll need to review your documents.
3. Send the supporting documents. Usually that’s your last 2 years of tax returns, your business registration and 3 months of bank statements. For income letters, add a year-to-date profit and loss.
4. Let the CPA adjust the wording. Expect them to strike statements they can’t support. That’s normal, and lenders who deal with self-employed borrowers are used to it.
5. Confirm how it should be delivered. Some lenders need the letter on letterhead with the CPA’s license number, sent directly from the CPA’s email address.

How long it takes and what it costs

If the CPA already prepares your returns, a simple letter often takes 3 to 5 business days. New CPA? Add a few days for document review. At NexusWorks, income verification and self-employment letters start from $350, and mortgage comfort or business verification letters from $450. Full details are on our pricing page.

Be careful with anyone offering a CPA letter in an hour without seeing a single document. Lenders check. Many look up the CPA’s license on the state board website and call the firm to confirm the letter is real, and a letter that doesn’t hold up can sink the whole application.

CPA letter vs other documents

• Tax transcript: issued by the IRS and shows what was filed. Many lenders want this as well as, not instead of, a CPA letter.
• Profit and loss statement: prepared by you or your bookkeeper. Some lenders accept it with a CPA letter attached.
• Compiled or reviewed financial statements: formal CPA reports under accounting standards, used when a bank or regulator wants more than a letter. See our guide to reviews, compilations and audits.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a CPA letter?

Get the requester’s exact wording, then ask the CPA who prepares your tax returns. Send your recent returns, business registration and bank statements. The CPA will confirm the facts they can verify and sign the letter on their letterhead.

What is a CPA letter for a mortgage?

It’s a letter that confirms a self-employed borrower’s business and self-employment history for the lender. Lenders sometimes call it a comfort letter. A CPA confirms facts from records, not your future ability to repay.

Can any CPA write a letter for me?

Any licensed CPA can, but they need to see enough evidence to confirm each statement. A CPA who already prepares your returns can usually do it faster.

How much does a CPA letter cost?

It depends on how much review is needed. At NexusWorks, income and self-employment letters start from $350 and mortgage or business verification letters from $450.

Need a letter for a lender, landlord or attorney? Request a CPA letter and send us the wording you were given. We’ll tell you what we can confirm before you pay.