When credit decisions are made, what characteristic of a bonus makes it unreliable for qualifying income calculations?

Answer

If the bonus varies wildly or is new, lacking a proven track record

Lenders focus on consistency. If a bonus income varies wildly or is new, a lender might ignore it entirely, forcing the calculation to rely only on the base salary until a proven track record is established.

When credit decisions are made, what characteristic of a bonus makes it unreliable for qualifying income calculations?
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