Bastien Mortgage

Before You Start

Have these things ready

You won't need all of these, but having them at hand makes the process faster and less frustrating.

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Online banking login

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Payroll portal login (ADP, Paychex, Workday, etc.)

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Your secure portal invitation email from Joe

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Smartphone or computer

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About 20 minutes of uninterrupted time

Step 1 — Gather

What you'll need to collect

These are the documents required for most purchase and refinance loans. Joe will let you know if your situation requires anything additional.

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Bank Statements

Last 2 monthly statements
All pages — even blank ones
Every checking and savings account

Download directly from your bank's website — do not screenshot the app.

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Pay Stubs

2 most recent pay stubs
All pages

Available in your payroll portal — ADP, Paychex, Workday, or ask HR.

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W-2 Forms

Last 2 years
From every employer

Usually in your payroll portal. Employers are required to provide these.

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IRS Transcript

Wage & Income Transcript only
Free from IRS.gov

Only needed if you can't locate your W-2s. Not a tax return — it's a simpler document.

Step 2 — Download

Where to find each document

Step-by-step instructions for the most common payroll and banking systems.

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Bank Statements

1
Log in to your bank's website (not the mobile app).
2
Navigate to Accounts, then Statements or Documents.
3
Select the last 2 full monthly statements for each account.
4
Download each statement as a PDF — all pages.
5
Repeat for every checking, savings, or investment account.

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ADP Pay Stubs & W-2s

1
Go to my.adp.com and log in.
2
Click Pay in the top navigation.
3
For pay stubs: select your 2 most recent pay statements and download as PDF.
4
For W-2s: click Tax Statements and download the last 2 years.

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Paychex Pay Stubs & W-2s

1
Go to paychexflex.com and log in.
2
Select Pay & Tax from the left menu.
3
For pay stubs: choose Paycheck History and download your 2 most recent.
4
For W-2s: select Year-End Tax Documents and download the last 2 years.

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Workday Pay Stubs & W-2s

1
Log in to Workday through your employer's employee portal or app.
2
Click on the Pay worklet on your home dashboard.
3
For pay stubs: select Payslips and download your 2 most recent.
4
For W-2s: select My Tax Documents and download the last 2 years.

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W-2 Forms — General

1
Check your payroll portal first — ADP, Paychex, and Workday all store them digitally.
2
If you changed employers, contact each company's HR or payroll department directly.
3
Employers are required by law to provide W-2s — they cannot refuse.
4
If you cannot locate a W-2, use the IRS Wage & Income Transcript instead (see below).

🏛️

IRS Wage & Income Transcript

1
Go to irs.gov and click Get Your Tax Record.
2
Select Get Transcript Online and create or log into your IRS account.
3
Choose Wage & Income Transcript from the dropdown — NOT the tax return transcript.
4
Download for the last 2 tax years and upload both to the portal.

Common Situations

Can't find something?

Here's how to handle the most common document collection roadblocks.

Problem

Can't find your W-2?

Use an IRS Wage & Income Transcript instead. It's free, available instantly at irs.gov, and accepted by all lenders. See the section above for step-by-step instructions.

Problem

Locked out of your payroll portal?

Contact your HR or payroll department and ask for your last 2 pay stubs. They can email them to you or provide them in print. This is a standard and routine request.

Problem

Recently changed jobs?

Upload what you have from your current employer and contact Joe before gathering documents from your previous employer. He'll let you know exactly what's needed for your situation.

Heads Up

Self-employed or have rental income?

Please reach out to Joe before gathering documents. Self-employed borrowers and those with rental income have a different document checklist. Joe will walk you through exactly what's needed.

Step 3 — Scan

Scanning documents with your phone

If you have a physical document — a printed pay stub, W-2, or letter — your phone can scan it into a PDF in about 60 seconds.

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iPhone

1
Open the Notes app.
2
Create a new note.
3
Tap the camera icon at the bottom of the keyboard.
4
Select Scan Documents.
5
Capture each page, then tap Save.
6
Tap the scan, then the share icon, and Save to Files as a PDF.

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Android

1
Open the Google Drive app.
2
Tap the blue + button in the bottom right.
3
Select Scan.
4
Capture each page and tap the checkmark when finished.
5
Name the file and tap Save — it saves as a PDF in Drive.

Scanning tips for clean, accepted documents

☀️ Use good lighting — natural light works best.

📐 Keep all four corners of the document visible.

📄 Scan all pages of a document into one PDF, not separate files.

🚫 Avoid shadows and blurry edges — retake if needed.

Step 4 — Upload

Uploading to your secure portal

Your document portal is encrypted and secure. Here's how to get everything in the right place.

Check your email Look for your secure portal invitation from Joe. Check your spam folder if you don't see it.

Create your login Set up your account using the link in the invitation email — takes about 60 seconds.

Find the requested document Each requested document will be listed clearly in the portal. Click the one you're uploading.

Upload the PDF Select your file and upload. You can upload from your phone, tablet, or computer.

✓

Confirm it uploaded The item should show as received or uploaded. If it doesn't, try again or call Joe.

Upload checklist — before you submit

✅ PDF format preferred

✅ All pages are included

✅ File name is clear and readable

✅ Every requested item is uploaded

Avoid These

Common mistakes to skip

These are the most frequent reasons documents get rejected — all easy to avoid once you know them.

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Do not send screenshots of your banking or payroll app. Screenshots are blurry, cropped, and not accepted. Download the official PDF from the website instead.

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Do not crop documents or cut off the edges. Lenders need to see the full page, including all headers, margins, and page numbers.

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Do not black out or redact your account numbers. Lenders are required to verify the account — the full number must be visible.

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Do not upload only the first page of a multi-page statement. If your bank statement is 4 pages, all 4 pages are required — including any blank ones.

✅

It's fine if you upload extra documents you're unsure about. Joe will review everything and let you know if anything is missing or if something isn't needed.

FAQ

Common questions

Quick answers to what borrowers ask most.

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Can I upload documents from my phone?

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✓
Yes — the portal works on any device. If you have PDFs saved to your phone, you can upload directly. If you have paper documents, use your phone's scan feature first (see the Scan section above).

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Can I email my documents to Joe instead?

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!
Please avoid emailing documents when possible. The secure portal uses bank-level encryption — email does not. Uploading through the portal keeps your personal financial information protected and makes it easier for Joe to track what's been received.

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Why do lenders need blank pages?

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?
Blank pages are part of the official document and confirm that nothing has been removed or altered. Lenders and underwriters require all pages to verify the document is complete and unmodified. A statement that's missing pages — even blank ones — will be rejected.

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What if my PDF is too large to upload?

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1
Try compressing the file using a free tool like ilovepdf.com or smallpdf.com.
2
If scanning, make sure your scanner is set to a standard DPI (300 is ideal — higher than that is usually unnecessary).
3
If it still won't upload, text or call Joe and he'll find another way to receive it.

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What if I'm missing something?

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✓
Upload everything you have and let Joe know what's missing and why. It's better to communicate early than to wait. Joe will work with you to find alternatives or let you know what can be waived. You won't be penalized for being upfront.

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How do I know an upload worked?

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✓
After uploading, the item in the portal should change status to show it has been received or submitted. If the status doesn't update within a few minutes, try refreshing the page. Still not showing? Call or text Joe at 616-369-0021 and he'll confirm on his end.

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