Alternative Documentation

When you get a loan, you have to prove you have the means to pay it back eventually. Basically, you need to show the bank that you're not a likely deadbeat.

You can perform this feat by providing income tax returns. These records show how much money you brought in during a given year, and your banker can then figure out whether you represent a safe investment. However, sometimes tax returns don't tell the full story.

If for whatever reason, tax returns don't give the best picture of your annual earnings potential, the banker might turn to so-called alternative documentation.

This sounds like some underground paperwork stored in the shadowy recesses of the dark web. Don't worry, it's not really that weird. Instead of income tax returns, the alternative docs in question include things like W-2s, pay stubs and bank statements.