3FS Rural Home
For lenders, realtors and nonprofits
Send ready files, check many families
Check a ZIP and household against FY2026 USDA income limits in seconds, hand clients a clean checklist, and run lists of families at once.
Ready-file checklist
A file is ready when the household and the property have been checked and the documents are in one place:
- County income limits checked for the household size (Direct and Guaranteed), with the source page noted
- Property address checked on USDA's property eligibility map
- Household composition, income sources and expected deductions listed
- Documents below collected and legible
- Client told plainly that USDA or the lender makes the decision
Document list for Direct and Guaranteed files
Names are generic. Use the forms your USDA office or lender names; see USDA's handbooks and Direct and Guaranteed program pages. Guaranteed lenders submit through USDA's Guaranteed Underwriting System (GUS).
| Document | Direct | Guaranteed |
|---|---|---|
| Signed loan application | USDA application | Lender application, entered in GUS |
| ID and Social Security verification | Yes | Yes |
| Income verification: pay stubs, W-2s, 2 years of tax returns | Yes | Yes |
| Asset statements (bank, retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Credit report and explanations | USDA obtains or reviews | Lender obtains |
| Household size and ages, deduction support (childcare, medical, disability) | Yes, used to compute adjusted income | Yes, used to compute annual income |
| Purchase contract or construction contract and plans | Yes | Yes |
| Appraisal, inspections, flood determination | Ordered per USDA instructions | Ordered by lender |
| Property eligibility determination | Yes | Yes |
The exact forms, numbers and timing are in USDA's handbooks and set by your state office and lender. Confirm with your lender/USDA office.
Pro, $49 per month
- Bulk check. Upload a list of ZIPs, household sizes and incomes and get a sheet back.
- API key. Unlimited checks over the API:
GET /api/check?zip=30513&people=4&income=68000. Without Pro, AI agents can pay per call. - Source on every number. Each limit cites its page in the USDA table, so a file can show where a number came from.
HUD-approved housing counseling agencies can register for free Pro through the partner program. Referral payments are for software subscriptions only and are never tied to a loan, property or closing.
Tools
Income vs. the limit
Show a client where their income sits against the county's Direct and Guaranteed limits.
OpenEstimates only. Not a quote, not an approval. USDA or the lender decides.