USDA Single Family Housing 

Guaranteed Loan Program 

(SFHGLP) 

Trish Cousins 

Lender and Partner Activities Branch 

Washington, D.C. 

December 2023 1 
Agenda 

 What is GUS? 

 Utilizing GUS 

 GUS Recommendations 

 Documentation Requirements (Attachment 15-A) 

 GUS and TOTAL Scorecard 

 Processing the Refer Loan 

 Strengthening your file 

 Examples 

 Tips for a smooth submission 

 Scenario Solutions 
What is the USDA Guaranteed Underwriting System (GUS)? 

All loan types must go through GUS, with a few 

exceptions. 

• GUS is a TOOL! 

• Developed to automate the process and help 

evaluate the credit risk of the SFHGLP. 

• GUS compliments but does not replace the 

judgement of experienced underwriters. 

• GUS is not designed to evaluate the 

dependability of repayment income. 
GUS does NOT replace underwriting guidelines 

There are some things that GUS does not assess when reviewing the loan file. 

For example: 

• GUS does not determine inaccurate calculations or data entry errors. 

• GUS does not do an assessment of time in a job, determine if a second job 

meets underwriting requirements or if the income entered is acceptable to 

use in qualifying the applicant. 

• GUS does not determine if the property value entered is accurate. 

• GUS does not read the credit report and detect liabilities. 

NOTE: Once an underwriting recommendation has been rendered, the recommendation is 

only valid if the data entered to support it is accurate and supported. 
Training Library 

Guaranteed Underwriting System 

(GUS) 

Lender Approval 

Lender Training 

Loan Closing 

Loan Origination 

Loan Servicing 

GUS Lender Test Environment 

HOME RESOURCES 

USDA LINC Training & Resource Li 

The Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program has prepared a comprehensive librar 

partners. In the categories below you have access to all of the training, resources, and impo 

participation. 

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact us. Contact lnformati 

Guaranteed Underwriting System 

Gaining Access to GUS 

“Gaining Access to GUS “USDA LINC Training & “Guaranteed Underwriting 

Guide” Resource Library” System (GUS)” 
United States 

.::;c Department of r(' C _ iilllll Asrtcu11ure U~DA UNi Lender Interactive Network Connection 

USDALil\C 

Home 

FSALL'{C 

Home 

RBSLL'{C 

Home 

Single Family Guaranteed Rural Housing 

Electronic Status ReP.orting_(ESR) 

Electronic Status ReP.orting Corrections 

Guaranteed Annual Fee 

Mortgi!ge Recovery Advance Receivable Payments 

Mortgage Recovery Advance Receivable History: 

Loss Claim Administration 

en er oan m111Istrat1on 

ID Cross Reference 

AP-P-lication Authorization 

Lender PAD Account Maintenance 

Training and Resource Library: 

Multi-Family Housing 

Lender Loan Closing/Administration 

ID Cross Reference 

AP-plication Authorization 

Lender Status ReP.ort List 

Lender PAD Account Maintenance 

Community Facilities 

Lender Loan Closing/Administration 

ID Cross Reference 

AP-Plication Authorization 

Lender Status Report List 

RHSLL'{C 

Home 

RUSLL'{C 

Home 

Your Guaranteed 

!fossag~ 

Board 

BOOKMARK 

THIS! 

https://usdalinc.sc.egov.usda. 

gov/RHShome.do 

NOT THIS! 

https://rdforcerausda.lightning.force.com/lightn 

ing/n/RD_URLA_WelcomeTab 
Types of GUS loans 

Accept 

Accept- Full documentation 

Refer 

Refer with caution 

Ineligible 
Understanding Submission Types 

ACCEPT with FULL 

DOCUMENTATION 

• Review “GUS Findings 

Report”. 

• Refer to “Loan Origination 

Checklist” for Manually 

Underwritten Loans. Not 

all documents will be 

applicable. 

• Upload documents via the 

GUS in stacking order. 

ACCEPT 

• Review “GUS Findings 

Report”. 

• Refer to “Loan Origination 

Checklist” (Attachment 15-

A) for Accept Loans. 

• Upload documents via the 

GUS in stacking order. 

• Find the checklist in the 

LINC Library. 

REFER and REFER with 

CAUTION 

• Review “GUS Findings 

Report”. 

• Not a reason to deny the 

loan, it needs further 

review. 

• Refer to “Loan Origination 

Checklist” for Manually 

Underwritten Loans. 

• Upload documents via the 

GUS in stacking order. No 

need to email anything! 
GUS Underwriting Recommendations (continued) 

The second part of the 

underwriting 

recommendation is 

specifically for property, 

income, and applicant 

eligibility. 

Potential results include: 

• Eligible: Regulatory requirements are met for 

property, income, and applicant eligibility. 

• Ineligible: The property may be located in an 

ineligible area, the applicant may be over the 

adjusted annual income limit, or the applicant 

may have characteristics that make them 

ineligible. 

• Unable to Determine: The property cannot be 

located with the online mapping system. Users 

should utilize the Contact Us tab for the 

appropriate contact 
~=- United States Department of Agrlcultu11t 

Rural Development 

Home Tutorials 

Single Family Housing Guaranteed Single Family Housing Direct 

Property Eligibility Previous Eligibility Areas Income Eligibility 

j) Find Your Address 

Pacific 

Ocean 

Multi-Family Housing Rural Business 

Income Limits Loan Basics 

COLUM81A 

NEVA.DA 

OneRD Loan Guaranteed Water and Environmental Guaranteed Water and Environmental Direct 

SASKATCHE:WAN 

NORTH DAKOTA MONTANA 

SOUTH OAkOfA 

IOAHO WVOMING IOWA 

NE.BRASKA 

UTAH 

COLORADO KANSAS MISSOURI 

ONTARIO 

MICHIGAN 

OHIO 

kf:NTUCKV 

WES1' VIRGINIA 

QUEBEC 

NX 

PA 

M O. ' NJ. 

OU.AWARE: 

N.H. 

OK1.AHOMA T'ENN!.SSEE 

VIRGINIA 

NC 

ARIZONA NEW MEXICO ARKANSAS SC 

ALABAMA 

GEORGIA 

NB P.11:.1. 

NS 

Community Facil ities Guaranteed 

St-Pierre 

MJSSISSIPPI 

LOUISIANA Sargasso S!a 

Atlantic 

Ocean 

MEXICq 

• Mexico City 

Gulf of 

Mexico 

FlOIUDA 

• Nassau 

. Havana 

CU BA 

.George Town 

JAMAICA 

.Grand Turk 

PUERTO IUCO Mari90t (U.S.) • St. John's 

Basseterre" • 

ELIGIBILITY 

► Switch Basemap 

,---

s,(z, ----==- __________________________________________________________ G_u_••_em_ •_l•~p ty• L M~~ou~ -4 . ~202_2 Microsoft Corporation, © 2022 TomTom I USDA Rural Develop 

Map Legend 

Ineligible Are; 

Property Eligibility 

May enter specific address, use 

zoom bar or double click on the 

state and zoom in for closer view 

of a general area 

PAC: sfhgld.program@usda.gov 
Eligibility Borrower Information Assets and Liabilities Real Estate Loan and Property Information More ... v 

GUS Underwrit ing Findings Report GUS Underwriting Analysis Report GUS Credit Report 

GUS Underwriting Findings Report 

The underwriting findings for the final submission should be printed by the lender retained in their permanent case file, and are the official findings that 

the lender must conform to. Lenders must perform a review of the t- inal GUS Underwriting rindings Report ( I he Find ng Report displayed after the Final 

Submission) and confirm the conditiors prior to the Conditional Commitment have been met. Your loan applic.ation has bee submitted to the Rural 

Development Office for review. You are now locked o t of the loan application and have view only capability of the application. Rural Development w ill 

contact you concerning the status of your loan. If you have questions, please contact your Local office. 

Urnd erw rJUng Summairy 

Prop~ rty M ll~ l>I Ll l)' 

I C me i lb1li 

Lo - EUg, ill _ 

Le· Ris:k Ev· 1u ·on 

El 8• Le 

E.li I 

~~~~ 

'tt d 

8ol'TUM!f' N.ame Harrower 1Flizjb41i}I• BorrnwP.I'" Risk Fv.3luation 

/!. " t 

H ,.,..r i;r, John 

l 

2 

08/1 8 1::;! ::10 0,4; 7 P C r 

1. Vie Findin s 

2. GUS Underwriting 

Findings Report 

3. Prin PDF op ion 

• 

• ith Full 

Documentation 

• Refer 

• Refer ith C ution 

• Ineligible 

Where to find the GUS recommendation 

1. View Findings 

2. GUS Underwriting 

Findings Report 

3. Print PDF option 

GUS Recommendations 

• Accept 

• Accept with Full 

Documentation 

• Refer 

• Refer with Caution 

• Ineligible 

11 
HB 1-3555 

Attachment 15-A 

Page I of3 

ATTACH ffi T 15-A 

USDA Guaranteed Rural H(Jusing = 

Loan Origination hecklist 

Lender Instructions: Submit the identified documents for the applicable loon type. To expedite loan review, please submit only the 

identified documents. Documents must not exceed the maximum allowable age set forth in the 7 CFR 3555 and Handbook 1-3555. 

Rural Development will consider all documents submitted as the certified ond true copies of the original documents retained in the 

lender's permanent file. Lenders should submit loan files electronically to Rural Development. See electronic delivery information in the 

SFHGLP Lending Portner Webpage: httos:/Jwww.rd .usda.gov/oage/sfh-guaranteed-lender. In the subject line include the following: 

Loan Origination: Borrower Last Name, First Nome 

General Information 

Applicant(s): I Lender: I Date: 

Loan Origination Checklist 

Guaranteed nderwriting System (GUS)- Purchase and Non-Streamlined and Streamlined Refinance Transactions 

Underwriting Recommendation: ACCEPT 

When !1iuhm1ttins;r; docurucnu 1n GUS. the 111pr:m1::1I n:porl mu!lil he uploaded sc:paratcly m-c.olflr4 

□ Form RO 3555--21, Request for Single Family Housing loan Guarantee 

Include all pages from the current published version 

Executed by applicant(s) and lender 

□ FEMA Form 086-0-32, Standard Flood Oeterminatio,n Form 

New construction properties located in 100-year flood plains require additional documentation, including confirmatio n 

t he base flood elevation (BFE) is below lowest habitable floo r 

□ Mortgage Payoff Statement: If refinance transaction 

□ Credit Report for Non-Purchasing Spouse (as applicable) 

Appl ies to applicant o r property located in a com munity property state: AZ, CA, ID, LA, NV, NM, TX, WA, W I 

□ Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAA) 

FNMA 1004/FHLMC 70 or applicable report as determined by appra rser (not required for most streamlined refinances) 

GUS Accept Underwriting Recommendation 

Upload the following: 

• The appraisal 

• Flood Certification 

• 3555-21, filled out completely and 

accurately 

• And a few additional items (if applicable) such 

as the Non-Purchasing Spouse credit report (for 

Community Property States only), and mortgage 

payoff for a refinance. 
Pl' 

Unde1r>milin3 5"..!mn'llilry 

GUS Accept with “Full Documentation” Message 

Determination is 

listed under the 

“Prior to 

Conditional 

Commitment 

Findings” Section 

of the “Lender’s 

Required 

Conditions” 
Loan O..-izln:11tion Check.list 

M:11nu:11I Uodcrwritin,::, GUS Rdcr/Rdcr with aution ndcrwritin~ Rt.."C.ommcnd.ation, or 

GUS Acee t with Full Documentation Mcs~a c on GUS ndcrwritin Finding~ and Analysis Re rt 

When submillinll doetm1enbl in GVS lb«" 11ppnH1d rep,ol'I 111u!lt M u nlo...d,ed M!p.antel°" in adar 

□ Form RD 3555-21, Request for Single Family Housing Lo,an Guarantee 

lnd ude all pages from current published version 

Executed by applicant(s) and lender 

□ Underwriting AnalY5is; FNMA 1008/FHLMC 1077, or simila, form 

Executed by the approved lencler"s unde rwriter 

Doa..imentation o f annual am:! repayment income calculations 

Credit waiYe-r explanations., debt ratio waive.- compens:atin.g factors, ancl overall loan file comments may be documented 

on this form 

□ Uniform Residentia l Loan Application; FNMA 1003/FHLMC 65 

Not required lo be signed by applicant(>) or lender 

Loan amount is not requi.-e-d to matd, the loa n re<i uest in GUS or on Form RD 3SS5--21 

□ Income Verification Documentation; Applicable methods 

Altema·tive Doc;umentation: Non self-employed: 

Written/Electronic VOE + 1 earning statement with YTD fagures 

Full Documentation: Non self-employed: 

2 years w .. 2s. + 4 weeks of earning statements. with YTD figures 

SeK-Employed: 

2 years personal and business filed income ta.x returns. or IRS transcri pts with all sdieclules + YTD p.-ofit and loss 

statement 

Additional Income Types: SSI_, VA Benefits, Pens:ion, Retirement, etc. 

Refer to Chapte r 9 for aocept:able verification clocume-nts 

□ Asset Doc:;umentatlon~ 

Documentation for all applicabl.e household members per 3555.152(d) 

VO D's, bank or inve-stment statements, gift l.ette.-s, e tc. Refe.- to Chapter 9 for acceptable- verifica tion documents.. 

□ Credit Report; jas applicable) 

Credit Report: For loans submitted outside of GUS. GUS loans will have the credit report uploaded. 

Non-Traditional credit tradel.ines, as applicable 

Credit s:upplements, if utili2ecl to support da ta adj usted from credit report 

□ Cred it Report for Non-Purchasing Spou:se (as appljcab le) 

Appl ie.s to app lica nt or property located in a comm unity property state: AZ. CA. ID. LA, NV, NM, TX, WA, WI 

□ Verification of R.ent: 

NOT APPLICABLE FOR GUS ACCEPT FULL DOCUM ENTATION 

Appl icable for- manually underwritten loa ns with credit scores less than 680 when rental history is indicated. 

Re fer to Cha pte r 10 for guidance on docume nti ng rent and non~traditmnal credit when a VOR is requi.-ed, but not 

available. 

□ Mortgage· Payoff Statement: If refinanc.e transacti.o n 

□ FEMA Form 086"0-32, Standard Flood Determination Form: 

New construction prnperties located in l OO•year flood plain.s require additional dooumentati:o n, incl uding confirmation 

base Hood elevation (BFE) i.s belDW IDWest habitable Hoor 

□ Evidence of qualified alien; If applicant(s) is not a U.S. Citi?en 

For No n .. Streamlined and Streamlined Refina nce transactions evidence is re-qu ire-d when adding a new borrower wh o is 

not a U.S. Citite n. 

□ Uniform Residentia l Appraisal Report IURAR) 

NOT APPLICABLE TO MOST STREAMLIN ED OR STREAMLINED-ASSIST REFINANCES 

FNMA 1004/FHLMC 70 or appli~ble report a-s detennined by appraiser 

GUS Accept with “Full Documentation” Message 

Upload the following: 

• Appraisal 

• All income/Asset documentation 

• Flood Certification 

• 3555-21, filled out completely and accurately 

• Income Calculation sheet. Either the Attachment 9-B 

or a Lenders Income Calculation sheet if you have one. 

• 1003/1008 – Uniform Residential Loan Application and 

Underwriting Analysis Forms 

• And the additional items if applicable. 

• Be sure to utilize the Attachment 15-A Loan Origination 

Checklist 
03/09/ O Ohio I Morrow Councy rinal -03/08/ o mrn 

Underwriting Recommendation: Refer/ IEl'gible 

Property El ig i bi I ity 

Income Eligi , il ity 

Loan Eligi bi I ity 

Loan Risk valuation 

Eligi le 

Eligible 

Eligible 

Refer 

GUS Refer or Refer with Caution Recommendation 

•

•

Risk factors have been identified based 

on data entered into GUS. 

The credit risk evaluation represented 

by a “Refer with Caution” is greater 

than a “Refer”. 

• Loans should not be denied solely 

based on a risk evaluation generated by 

the GUS. 

• Loan must be manually underwritten 

and full documentation package 

submitted to USDA. 
, m..1< 

GUS Underwriting Findings Report 

Refer and Refer 

with Caution 

Determination 

• Loan Risk 

Findings 

• Lender’s 

Required 

Conditions 

16 
Loan 

Ma.nu ! ndcrwritint~ G Rcfcr/R dcnnitint Rcc.ommcndation, or 

G Acee t with Full Documentation Mc 'tin Findin • r1 

..... ba JltiJ:1 •••d onanmt,.a1 , ., . .. .. ••vjlf u "" anlt' "' .... D Form RO 3S55--21, Request for Single family Hou.sing loan Guarantee 

lndude all pages from current published version 

Executed by apphcant(s) and lender 

D Underwriting Analysis: FNMA 1008/FHLMC 1077, or similar form 

becuted by the approvNf lender's underwnter 

Ooa.lmtmliltion of annual and repiyment income calculations 

Credrt waiver .. planatlons, debt ratio waiver compensating facto,s, and overall loan file comments may be documented 

on this form 

D Uniform Residential loan Application: FNMA 1003/FHLMC 65 

Not required to~ signed by appli<:ant(s) o, lender 

loan amount Is not required to matd, the loan rNjue,t In GUS or on Form RD 3S55•21 

D Income Verification Documentation: Applicable methocb 

Altemative Documentation: Non self-employed: 

Written/Electronic VOE+ 1 earning statement with VTO figures 

Full Documentation: Non ulf-employed: 

2 years w .. 25 + 4 weeU of earning statements with YTD figures 

Self-Employed: 

2 years personal and busoness filed income tax returns or IR5 transcripts With all sdledules • YTD profit and loss 

statement 

Additional Income Types: 551, VA Benefits, Pension, Retirement, etc. 

Reier to O,apter 9 lor acceptable verrficatlon documenu 

D Asset Oocumen~tion: 

Documentation for all applicable household members per 3555.152(d) 

VOD's, bank or investment statements, gift letters, etc. Refer to Chapter 9 fo, acceptable verifte.11,on documents. 

D Credit Report: (os applluble) 

Credit Report: For loans submilled outside of GUS. GUS loans will have the aedit report uploaded. 

Non•Trad,t,onal credit tradel,nes, as appl,cable 

Crt!drt supplrmrnts, 1f ut11izrd to support data adjusted from ard1t report 

D Credit Report for Non-Purch;uing Spou:se (as applicabl~) 

Applles to applicant or property located on a community proPerty state: A2, CA, ID, LA, NV, NM. TX, WA, WI 

D Verification of Rent: 

OT APPLICABLE FOR GUS ACCEPT FULL DOCUMENTATION 

Applicable for manually underwritten loans with credit S-COte-s less than 680 when rental history is 1nd1Qted. 

Re fer to O,apter 10 for guidance on documenting rent and non~trad1t10nal a~1t when a VOR is required, but not 

available. 

D Mortgage Payoff Statement: If refinance transaction 

D FEMA Form 086-0.32, Staondard Flood Determination Form: 

New constructoon properties located in lOO•year flood plains require additional documentation, lndud,ng conflrmat on 

base flood elevation (BFE) Is below lowest hab,table floor 

D Evidence of qualified alien: If applicant(s) Is not a U.S. Citizen 

Fo, Non·Slr .. mhned and SlreamUned Refinance transactions evidence Is required when adding a new borrower who Is 

not a U.S. Citizen. 

D Uniform Residential Appraisal Repor1 (URAR) 

NOT APPLICABLE TO MOST STREAMLINED OR STREAMLINED-ASSIST REFINANCES 

FNMA 1004/FHLMC 70 or appli<:able report as determined by appraiser 

GUS Refer or Refer with Caution Recommendation 

Upload the following: 

• Appraisal 

• All income/Asset documentation 

• Flood Certification 

• 3555-21, filled out completely and accurately 

• Income Calculation sheet. Either the Attachment 9-B or a 

Lenders Income Calculation sheet if you have one. 

• 1003/1008 – Uniform Residential Loan Application and 

Underwriting Analysis Forms 

• And the additional items if applicable. 

• Be sure to utilize the Attachment 15-A Loan Origination 

Checklist 
FACT OR FICTION 

You receive a GUS 

recommendation of Refer, you 

automatically deny the loan? 
FACT OR FICTION 

• If GUS returns a Refer or 

Refer with Caution, it is not 

cause to deny the loan. 
GUS is unique! 
Top reasons to process the Loan 

A GUS REFER 

finding does not 

mean automatic 

denial. Let’s 

change your 

mindset on these. 

A GUS refer does 

not mean the 

same thing as it 

does for other 

underwriting 

products, as we 

just went over. 

The process to 

getting LNG is the 

same regardless of 

the underwriting 

recommendation. 

Everyone is 

looking for 

business right 

now, process the 

refer! 

The process and 

review time 

remain the same 

whether you have 

a Refer, Refer with 

Caution, or an 

Accept. 
Factors causing GUS to trigger more refers 

Market Conditions 

Lack of compensating factors 

Shallow credit history 

Short time at residence 

Short term at employer 

GUS 

Factors 
GUS Scorecard & GUS Recommendations 

What determines the underwriting 

recommendation returned by the

Guaranteed Underwriting System (GUS)? 

Uses a risk evaluation scorecard 

Compliments but does NOT replace the 

consideration and judgement of

experienced underwriters 

Scorecard allows favorable consideration to 

applicants that exhibit positive 

compensating factors 

23 
Documentation Requirements 

• Credit history 

• Adjusted Annual Income (determined for program eligibility) 

• Stable and dependable income (determined for repayment 

and qualifying purposes) 

• Assets (for income calculation, conventional credit test, and 

compensating factor analysis) 

• Collateral Requirements 

• Any other documentation supporting the mortgage loan 

request 

The lender’s 

permanent case files 

must be supported 

with the following 

verified 

documentation, 

regardless of the GUS 

recommendation: 
Factors that could strengthen your 

recommendation 

Enter Assets/cash reserves 

Accurate income 

Work history 

Rental/housing history 

Review credit with borrower to ensure accuracy 

A letter of explanation is always a good idea 
Eligibility Borrower Information As-$ets and Liabillties Real Estate Loan and Property Information Oeclarations / Military 

Assets and Liabilities 

v Assets - Bank Accounts, Retirement, and Other Accounts You Have (0) 

MF!iiiii 

> Other Assets You H,we (0) 

EUgibility Borrower Information Assets and Liabilities Real Estate Loan and Property Information De<:l.:nalions / MiLitary 

Assets and Liabilities 

v Assets - Bank Accounts, Retirement and Other Accounts You Have (1) 

Account Owner/Borrower Name (P) 

Choose On* 

• Ac:c:ount Typo P) O 

Choose One 

Add Additional Asset 

r nanc: al 1nst1tut on (F) 0 

Total CU:h or Ma.rtc..t Vllh•• for All 8onowera 

$0.00 

Ac:c:ount t.umt>or (F) 0 

so.oo 

More ... v 

MOre. V 

e-11::++ 

A ET CHANGE AITER CONDITlONAL COM 1ITMENT I S A CE 

Assets verified prior to loan closing that are 1ess than the amounts entered into G S or on the loan application may 

retain the issued Cond.itional Commitment (Fonn. RD 3555-J 8/l 8E) when one the following are met: 

1. The application was approved with :rero months of cash reserves· or 

2 .. Th application v ill continue to have a minimum of four months of ca h re erve . 

Assets & GUS 

 Calculate and enter assets correctly to avoid

receiving errors. 

 When disclosing the assets of the borrower on the

“Assets and Liabilities” page of GUS, lenders have

the responsibility to determine if the asset is liquid

or readily converted to cash and can be done so

absent retirement or job termination. 

 Assets such as 401(k)s, IRAs, etc. may be included in

the underwriting analysis up to only 60 percent of

the vested value. 

 Assets should never be overvalued as it affects the 

risk assessment provided by the automated

underwriting system. 

This section in GUS allows users to enter information 

about borrower assets that will be used to evaluate their 

loan eligibility. Verified assets could offset risks 

associated with the underwriting recommendation. 

26 
(9 

Credit Exceptions 

Credit history problems do not always reflect an unwillingness to meet financial 

obligations. 

If the lender believes the applicant is creditworthy, they may make an exception. 

Exceptions should only be for situations that are temporary in nature, beyond 

the applicant’s control, and due to the current employment/financial/health of 

the household are unlikely to recur. (i.e. temporary loss of job, illness, etc.) 
1 1 

1 1 

c:::J 

71R 

\ I I 

Credit Exceptions 

GUS “Accept” or “Accept Full Documentation”: NOT 

required. 

GUS “Refer”, “Refer w/Caution”, and Manually 

Underwritten, required for: Foreclosures, 

Bankruptcies, Deed-in-Lieus, and Short Sales (past 36 

months). One rent or mortgage payment that was 30 

or more days late in the past 12 months. 
P Tl Total 

Deb 

Ratio Analysis & Compensating Factors 

PITI 

Long-term 

obligation = 

more than 10 

months 

remaining 

Short-term 

obligations = 5% or 

greater of monthly 

repayment income 

Rental loss 

Balloon/deferred 

payments due in 

next 24 months 

Principal & 

Interest 

Insurance 

Premiums 

Annual Fee Taxes 

HOA Dues 

Special 

Assessments 

PITI Total 

Debt 

29% 

41% 
Debt Ratio Waiver 

PITI ratio 

cannot exceed 

32% 

Total Debt 

Ratio cannot 

exceed 44% 

Credit Score 

must be 680 

or greater 

At least 1 

acceptable 

compensating 

factor is 

present 

Savings or cash Employed with their 

reserves of at least 3 current primary 

months of PITI employer for a 

GUS files that receive an Accept or Accept Full Documentation payments minimum of 2 years 

underwriting recommendation do not require debt ratio waivers. 
• A GUS Accept recommendation is required to be 

downgraded unless one of the following are met: 

Non-Derogatory disputed 

accounts 

• The disputed tradeline has a zero balance; 

• The disputed tradeline states “paid in full” or “resolved” on the credit report; 

• The disputed tradelines are 24 months or greater; 

• The disputed tradeline is current and paid as agreed; 

• The payment stated on the credit report is included in the monthly debts; 

• A documented payment from the creditor is included in the monthly debts; or 

• Five percent of the stated account balance on the credit report is included in the 

monthly debts. 

31 

When does a file need to be downgraded? 
When does a file need to be downgraded? 

GUS Accept files with less than $2,000 in disputed derogatory 

accounts will require the lender to determine if the disputed 

accounts may impact the applicant’s ability to repay the proposed 

mortgage obligation. Each account must include a minimum 

monthly payment of: 

The payment stated on the credit report. If no payment listed, use 

• Five percent of the balance of the account; or 

• A lesser amount documented from the creditor. 

32 
• GUS Accept/Accept with Full Documentation files 

must be downgraded to a Refer when the applicant 

has $2,000 or more collectively in disputed derogatory 

accounts in the last 24 months. 

Derogatory disputed 

accounts 

If the lender is aware of any potential derogatory or contradictory information that 

is not part of the data submitted to GUS, or if there is any erroneous information in 

the data submitted to GUS, the loan must be manually downgraded. 

33 

When does a file need to be downgraded? 
Taking a Closer Look 
GUS Submission 1st Final submission Change Final Submission 

Total Household income $127,458.00 Increased total HH income $134,919.00 

Property Value $275,000.00 $10K Increased property value $285,000.00 

Underwriting Decision Refer Accept 

LTV 101.01 Decreased LTV 97.47 

PITI Ratio 19.1546 Decreased PITI 18.0596 

TD Ratio 33.0808 Decreased TD 31.1897 

All Borrowers Employment $10,621.48 Increased income from $10,768.49 

Income employment and other sources 

All Borrowers Total Income $0.00 Increased income from $497.00 

from other sources employment and other sources 

Adjusted Household income $119,518.00 Increased Adjusted HH income $126,979.00 
Mortgage Information 

LTV 

Mont hly Pil l 

Other M o nthl y Debt 

Tota I M o nt hly Debt 

PITI Ratio 

TD Ra t io 

Loan Amount 

Sales Co ntract Price 

Property Value 

101.01 % 

$928.70 

$546.00 

$1 ,474..70 

25.7962 % 

4 0.9623 % 

$101 ,010.00 

$100,000.00 

$100,000.00 

Note Ra e 

Loan Term (m ont hs) 

Amortization Type 

Upfront Guarantee Fee/Annual Fee Opt ion 

USDA Upfront Guarantee Fee 

Loan Purpose 

7.5000 % 

360 

Fixed Ra e 

1.0000% ! 0.3 500% 

$1010.10 

Pur

GUS Findings: Refer/Refer with caution Residence: 

Current residence-1 Month 

Ratios Previous Residence- 6 Months 

PITI: 25.7962% Previous Residence-6 years 

TD: 40.9623% 

Employment: 

New car loan 11/2022 Current job-1 Month 

New credit card 12/2022 with high usage Previous Job-2 years 
Successful GUS Submissions 
Successful Document Submissions 

• Try to Upload • Notify the appropriate 

documents prior to Production team at 

“Final” submission Rural Development 

• Double check findings anytime you upload 

to verify if more documents for 

documents are required incomplete files 

• Efficiency is the key! 

• Follow the checklist 

Timeliness Communication Completeness 
::ligi b l it.y orro,,,"er I nfor mation Assets d L a illt ie~ Real !::state Loan and M :>re ... v 

A,p plication Docum ents 

Borl'ouirer- ID / Na.n,e B-orrowel' Acld.-es:!i 

U p l oad Docu m ents 

A d ~ a d In d ex Ind ld u al o c u rn,e (s) In to I age Re pos itory 

F1 l c Upl oad I stru c ions 

- ocepta L t i le f m-t s ar-e A.do PDF and T l - (rm passwot'd prntected P.DF fit.,. ) 

- Pa.s word p rotect dow ent s are not per - ed. 

- Ma x'i .-n 1..1m i le Siz-e IS. H )OM D. 

• user must make a selection or liyp · of Documentμ prior to adding f iles using the Upload tea re. 

• Up to to ind d al docu ments can be upl_oaded at a t ime. 

- Selec.t '$Ubmlt Doc;ument{s) " to ttach doc...iiment (s) .o app _ication fo r s.ubmi:ss1on to -o A_ 

Type, at De-cum.ant Filla Name, Su.bmh;,;lon Statu~ A.cltlDru. 

10011 ReqJest tor Guarantee 

... 

.. .!. Uplo d Fi le o r drop f i s 

Note: It may takce several minutes for individually indexed docume ts t o process an d be avail.a b le f o r displ ay. 

• C lick the "Di!ip'l!ay Docum e nt " $ button Icon ta display the docu m 11: y rn.J wish to v i ew_ 

o c umf' nt( ) 

GUS – Application Document Uploads 
:,ad Doc .. ments 

t.dd .;u·d l fldf!( lra:11\' d u .d o x u rn.;t't(s: hU O 111\~t' Rt>j)O>,lt(.)1)1 

, 11,,.,-, ,.ft.<l· I,> Ji .a. h , ru;.t-. ;.r "' ,'utl"lh " l>t:f A ·C'I 1'11: (,.,,,... -U(.<;.w,, ·,I r ,,....-~r:.1 Pl'H' fil,=.~ 

• ~:Z.11 )Id pr<. tC:-::-lcO dOCUr'IC(lt:l :i:c ( () 

• M,Hin ..iu , l"i.o: s~ ... ~ IOON9. «. Up.i n 

• Uur tnJat rn !lk~ ~ ~electicn foe' 'Typ,41 

• u p to 10 1·:d h •ldM:il d:.ie1.1n 1111r1t1: c:.in :)O 

• 3:lc:c: ~sub111lt O,;,~.-n$0tbl' to att?ich 

Su!.n 1itl':d Cot:u,11: nls 

rt:,:e: It r-ay w.<e seve"al minute~ 

• CU.:k th~ 'Obpl.117 Oocu111 ent ' 0 b t.ttt 

liiil illls : i; 

> JLI () )J«i! 

■ Je;t:top 

y C, 

.., ~ 111!111,d T..., 0 111 

~ USiJt. G.I', • I rir,r10 u rt r rlt1<'n r .-(i11i,11'_, • .OJ)";.17.1'11'\1 

~ U.SDt.. GJ$ • l cicic1 Q11 ckr.cfocncc Gukk , • .O 00.17,21)00 

~ U.SDt..GJ$ l1t • lcn:lcrOuO: ~cfcr:rccGUitc ·.,1J) '.X!.20.21)?.i) 

Upload Files 

U PIOl (I IQ&t uo~por 

IID J.U 0 

,1,111:11; 

GUS – Application Document Uploads 

Steps 

• Select the document to be 

uploaded from the user’s 

system. 

• Click Open to attach to the 

loan application. 

• Wait for the upload to 

complete as indicated in the 

Upload Files dialogue box. 

Select the Done button when 

the upload is complete. 
of Document Fil■ Nam■ Submission Status Actions 

Choose One 

001 Req est for Guarantee 

• 

.. 

Upload Test Doc.pdf ot Submitted 

Submit Document(s) 

Submitted Documents 

Note: It may take several minutes for individually indexed documents to process and be available for display. 

• Click the "Display Document" 0 button Icon to display the document you wish to view. 

Type of Document Document Description Upload Date Actions 

10011 Request for Guarantee 9/14/2020 0 

First Previous Next Last 

GUS – Application Document Uploads 

Steps 

• To submit the selected and 

uploaded document(s), select 

the Submit Document(s) button. 

• Submitted documents appear in 

the Submitted Documents 

section. 

• Select the eye icon under the 

Actions column to view the 

document. 

• Use the action buttons to 

navigate through the submitted 

document(s). 
t ed Documents 

ote: It may take severa l minutes fo r individually indexed documents to process and be available for display. 

• Click t he "Display Document" E> button Icon to display the document you wish to view. 

Type of Document Document Description Upl'oad Date Ac:tio,n:s 

10009 Conditional Commitment 3 /8 / 20 21 E> 

10002 App ais.al Report 3 /3 / 2021 0 

10006 Un derwriti g 3 /3 / 2021 E> 

Uploading Documents into GUS 

Uploaded documents, including agency issued forms may be 

retrieved at the Display Document tab. 
nderwrit ing 4 / 20/ 2021 0 

10006 Underw it ing 4 / 20/ 2021 0 

10006 Underw it ing 4 / 20/ 2021 0 

10006 Underw it ing 4 / 20/ 2021 0 

10006 Underw it ing 4 / 20/ 2021 0 

10006 Underw it ing 4 / 20/ 2021 0 

10006 Underw it ing 4 / 20/ 2021 0 

Uploading Documents into GUS 

This is going to take awhile... 
Document Document Description Upload Date Actions 

10009 Conditional Commitment / 23 / 2021 E> 

10002 Appra i sa I Report 4 / 20/ 2021 

10006 U nd,erw iting 4 / 20 / 2021 

Uploading Documents into GUS 

We’ll get through this one super fast! 
fJ Adobe Acrobat Pro (32-bit) 

File Ed it View E-Sign Window Help 

Home Tools 

Combine Files 

3555-21 sa._pdf 

button below or drag and dro p them here. 

e current open fil es from below. 

\._ Add Open Files ) 

Help 

Flood Dete .. _pdf 

■■ 

■■ I f) Options 

Mortgage _ ,pdf 

Ed it View E-Sign Window Help 

I!:} Qpen ... Ct rl+O 4 Reopen PQFs from last session 

ECF M enus ► 

~ Creat e ► 

Insert Pages ► 

Us) _$ave Ctrl+S 

Save As ... Shift+ Ctrl + S 

Save as Other ► Reduced Size PDF ... .... 

•l Reduce l="ile Si;;;e rertified PDF ... 

Expor!, To ► Reader Exten_g_ed PDF 

Protect vSi'lg Passytord Qptimized PDF ... 

c!:J Share File Arc:r,ivable PDF (PDF/8 

Reyert Press-Ready PDF (PDF. 

r 1ose File Ctrl+W PDF/.E 

Prop~rties ... Ctrl+D 

iii f:rint... Ctrl+P 

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MOST EFFICIENTLY 

UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENTS TO GUS! 

*Combining files and reduce file size in Adobe before uploading to GUS* 
Scenario Solutions 
From the Scenario Desk 

QUESTION: GUS reflects an open liability with an unpaid balance of $650. The credit report shows an 

unpaid balance of $600. Does the submission need to be released back to the lender to reduce the 

unpaid balance to $600 to match the credit report? 
From the Scenario Desk 

QUESTION: GUS reflects an open liability with an unpaid balance of $650. The credit report shows an 

unpaid balance of $600. Does the submission need to be released back to the lender to update the 

unpaid balance to $600 to match the credit report? 

ANSWER: No. In this case the lender has decided to be conservative and enter a higher unpaid balance 

into GUS than the credit report would have required. As long as the amount of the payment has not 

increased from what was entered into GUS, the file can proceed without required changes to GUS. 
From the Scenario Desk 

QUESTION: I ran GUS and am getting a message that there is a SAM exclusion. When I ran both names 

through SAM directly, there was no hit. Since GUS indicates there is a SAM exclusion, does that mean 

this applicant is automatically ineligible? 
ore __ v 

Sys@ rd an g@mPnt ( A indicd £I'S d pa to 

rc1 SdC 'on -5 de,barred f om business wr e-nt. 

(P) 

From the Scenario Desk 

QUESTION: I ran GUS and am getting a message that there is a SAM exclusion. When I ran both names 

through SAM directly, there was no hit. Since GUS indicates there is a SAM exclusion, does that mean 

this applicant is automatically ineligible? 

ANSWER: Most likely, no. Most often, this is due to an inaccurate entry in GUS. If you have confirmed 

the applicant(s) is not debarred from doing business with the Federal government, check to make sure 

the following question is answered correctly on the GUS Additional Data screen. 
From the Scenario Desk 

QUESTION: The applicant received a gift from his parents which has already been deposited into the 

applicant’s bank account. The gift donors have provided an acceptable gift letter and a single-day 

activity statement from their bank to verify the gift funds were withdrawn from their account. Does 

the lender need to obtain a full 30-day statement of the donor’s account or a single-day activity 

statement? 
From the Scenario Desk 

QUESTION: The applicant received a gift from his parents which has already been deposited into the 

applicant’s bank account. The gift donors have provided an acceptable gift letter and a single-day 

activity statement from their bank to verify the gift funds were withdrawn from their account. Does 

the lender need to obtain a full 30-day statement of the donor’s account or a single-day activity 

statement? 

ANSWER: Chapter 9 states that for gift funds that have been deposited into the borrower’s account, 

the lender must obtain a gift letter and a bank statement showing the withdrawal from the doner’s 

account. The guidelines do not specify that a 30-day bank statement must be provided. A single-day 

activity statement showing the source and withdrawal of the gift funds from the donor’s account would 

be sufficient to document the source of the gift. 
From the Scenario Desk 

QUESTION: The applicant is purchasing a property from her mother. She is wanting to gift the applicant 

funds to pay off some credit cards for qualifying. Is this permissible? 
From the Scenario Desk 

QUESTION: The applicant is purchasing a property from her mother. Her mother wants to gift the 

applicant funds to pay off some credit cards for qualifying. Is this permissible? 

ANSWER: No. Since the mother is the seller of the home, she is an interested party in the sale of the 

property. Thus, the mother is not an eligible gift donor. The seller may, however, contribute towards 

closing costs within the 6% interested parties cap. 
From the Scenario Desk 

QUESTION: When revising an IRS repayment agreement for delinquent taxes to include an additional 

year, does 3 additional months need to be paid to meet Rural Development guidelines? 
From the Scenario Desk 

QUESTION: When revising an IRS repayment agreement for delinquent taxes to include an additional 

year, does 3 additional months need to be paid to meet Rural Development guidelines? 

ANSWER: Yes. An applicant with delinquent Federal tax debt is ineligible unless they have a repayment 

plan approved by the IRS. A minimum of three timely payments must have been made on the most 

recent IRS approved repayment plan. 
Documents & Resources 

1. 3555 Handbook (PDF) 

2. 3555 Regulation - 7 CFR 3555 (PDF) 

3.IFAQ Loan Originationl(PDF) 

4. Form RD 3555-21 Reguest for Loan Guarantee (PDF) 

5. GRH Loan Checklist -- Attachment 15-A (PDF) 

6. Manual Submission Job Aid (PDF) 

7. GRH Income Worksheet--Attachment 9-B (PDF) 

8. Guaranteed and Annual Fee Calculation Guidance (PDF) Calculator (Excel). 

9. Income Matrix (PDF) 

10. Refi nance Matrix (PDF) 

11. SamQ:le Worksheet fo r Ca lcu lating Maximum Loan (PDF) 

12. Capital Financial Reguirements for Non-Regulated Lenders (PDF) 

FAQ Loan Origination 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/resources/usda-linc-training-resource-library/loan-origination 
I LINC Training Library 

Guaranteed Underwriting 

System (GUS) 

Lender Approval 

Lender Tra ining 

Loan Closing 

Loan Origination 

Loan Servicing 

GUS Lender Test Environment 

(LTE) 

SFHGLP System Access and 

C:::0r1 1rit\l r. , 1irl0 

V 

HOME RESOURCES USDA LINC TRAINING & RESOURCE LIBRA 

Documentation and Resources 

1. GUS Le nder User Guide 

2. POQ-UR Information (PDF). 

3. Gaining Access to GUS 

4. GUS User Agreement & Tra ining Cert 

5. Lender Agent Access to GUS 

6. SFHGLP SY.stem Access and SecuritY. Guide 

7. Lender Reguest for Branch Addition/Mod ificat ion 

8. Single Close Rehab User Guide 

Training 

1. How to Become a GUS Lender and Set UR Usersrl" 

• How to Become a GUS Lender and Set UR Users (PDF Tra ining Handout) 

2. GUS Overviewrl" 

• GUS Overview (PDF Training Handout) 

3. GUS URdateSrl" 

• GUS URdates (PDF Training Handout) 

4. GUS Basic Navigation and User Rolesrl" 

• GUS Basic Navigation and User Roles (PDF Tra ining Handout) 

5. Loan ARRlicationrl" 

• Loan A1mlicat ion (PDF Tra ining Handout) 

• Eligibility Pagg (PDF Tra ining Handout) 

7. Borrower Information Paggrl" 

• Borrower Information Pag~(PDF Tra ining Handout) 

8. Assets and Liabilities Paggrl" 

• Assets and Liabi lities Pagg (PDF Training Handout) 

Resources 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/resources/usda-linc-training-resource-library/guaranteed-underwriting-system 
Training Schedule 

Due to the overwhelming response of our virtual live tra ini ng events this past year, we will now be offering 

monthly virtual live tra ini ng events. These trai nings are free and everyone is welcome to attend. Regist ration 

wi ll open approxi mately 30 days prior to the event. Contact the Lender & Partner Act ivit ies Branch with any 

questions. 

These tra inings wi ll be held at 2pm EST on the dates listed below: 

• December 14, 2023: Hot Topics I ~ gister Here<' 

• January 10, 2024: Single Close Construction and Rehab Repair loa ns 

• January 18, 2024: Income 

• February 13-15, 2024: In Person trai ning- Locat ion TBD 

• March 6, 2024: Program Overview 101 

• March 14, 2024: Credit 

• April 9-11, 2024: In Person Train ing- Location TBD 

• May 8, 2024: GUS 

• May 16, 2024: Man ufactured Housing 

• June 11, 2024: Lender Awards 

• June 13, 2024: Appraisa ls & Pro perty 

• July 10, 2024: Tribal Lend ing 

• July 18, 2024: Assets 

• August 7, 2024: Ratios 

State Offices 

Programs & Services 

Acronyms 

Directives 

Disaster Assistance 

Environmental Studies 

Forms 

Publications 

Publications for Cooperatives 

Regulations and Guidance 

Rural Data Gateway 

LINC Training Library 

Lender List 

> 

> 

> 

V 

> 

> 

> 

> 

> 

> 

Lender List 

Select State 

1-- Select --

1st National City Mortgage 

httgs://222.i3lending.coml! 

Ace Mortgage 

httgs://www.acemortgggela.com1! 

Advance Mortgage And Investment CO 

httgs://www.amic.co1! 

Alcova Mortgage 

httgs://www.alcova.com1! 

Allsource Mortgage INC 

httgs://www.al1sou rce4u.com/Homel! 

American Fi nanc ial Network, INC 

http://www.afncoq;i.com/l! 

American Home Lend ing USA LLC 

httgs://www.americanhomelendingusa.com1! 

Amerifirst Fina ncial Corporation 

Academy Mortgage Corporation 

httgs://www.academy:mortggge.com1! 

Acopia, LLC 

httgs://www.acogiahomeloans.com!! 

Alabama Home Mortgage Loans INC 

httgs://www.my:alabamahomemortggge.com!! 

All ied Mortgage Group, INC. 

httgs://www.alliedmg.com1! 

American Bank of Oklahoma 

httgs://www.americanbankok.com1! 

American Fi na nc ial Resources, INC. 

httgs://www.afrcorg.com/l! 

American Mortgage Service Compa ny 

httgs://www.americanmortggge.com1! 

Amerifirst Financial, INC. 

USDA GRH Updates 

New Lender Training Schedule Lender List 
Contacting the GUS Helpdesk 

Provide the following when contacting the GUS Help 

Desk: 

• Lender Name (If user is a Lender Agent, provide 

Approved Lender’s Name as well) 

• Screenshot of error message 

• Full name of user experiencing issue 

• GUS Application ID (if applicable) 

• Date/Time of attempted file import (for file import 

failures only) 
63 

CONlAClUS TOPIC CONTACT I 

Fif.e-'Specific Questions 

In orrnatioti to include in email: 

• Identify the state the application is ocated; if 

applicable; 

• Provide applicant's name and USDA bonower 

ID, if app1icable; 

GUS loa,n number, if applicable 

lndude contact information; and 

lnd·cate if you would like a call bac ' 

(otlherw·se you will receive an email reply) 

FHl!-'Specific Questions by phone: 

Lender Self-Report 

Production Team One·: SFHGLPON @usda.gov 

AK, AL, AZ.., CA, CO, GU, HI, IA, ID, KS, MT, N , NV, OR, 

SD, TX, UT, WA, WI, WP, WY 

Production Team T:hree: SFHGlPTHR [@usda.gov 

CT, DE, GA, IL, MA, MD, M , Ml, NC, NH, R1I, SC, VT, WV 

Production Team four: 5 HGLPFOUR@usda.gov 

L, IN, OH, PA, PR, TN, VA, VI 

*833-3l4a0168, ,ext. 2 

833-314-0168. e 1 

Lender Approval/Recertification ------------------rlhg!pserviciog@usda.gov Loan Servicing 

Technical Issues: GUS 

Technical lssu s,: e•Authenticat on 

Adding/Removing Security Administira or ·ISFH 

Guaran eed Loan Program, Automated Systems) 

*Phone System Availability: 9:00 rn to 3:30 pm ET 

RD.HD@U5DA.GOV or ,(800) 457- 642 option 2, op ion 2 

E-Authentica ,ion AQs: 

littps ://www .e uth.usda.gov/ auth/b/usda/tag 

E-Auth ntlca 1ion Con ac Us: 

IJttps; //www. ea uth.ysda.goy/eauth/b/usda/contactus 

guarantee.svc@usda.gov 

Form l1nstructi on s: :..:ch=-=---=-=-=-='""-'--"="""'-""""""--"-'-'-'-'-"':.::....:=-·~FH'-'--· 

Additlonal LenderSecurity.pdf 

S U C C E S S 

LINC Library: 

www.rd.usda.gov/resources/usda-linctraining-resource-library/lender-training 

Customer Access Lender Line: (833) 314-0168 

Monday-Friday from 9:00 am-3:30 pm EST 
Keep current! 

Visit our website. 

64