What is income verification?
Income verification confirms your income through secure, automated connections to your payroll provider or bank account, giving landlords verified data instead of just self-reported numbers or documents that can be questioned.
Why should I verify my income?
Verified income strengthens your application. Landlords trust direct verification from payroll systems and bank accounts more than uploaded documents. This can help you stand out and get approved faster.
Is there a fee for income verification?
No. Income verification is included in your $49 Clara application fee.
How do I verify my income?
Choose one of three methods during your application:
- Payroll Connection: Connect to your employer's payroll system
- Bank Connection: Link your bank account to show income deposits
- Document Upload: Upload pay stubs or tax documents if automated methods don't work
What if my payroll provider isn't listed?
Use bank connection instead—it works for virtually all US banks and credit unions. If neither option works, you can upload documents.
Can Clara see all my financial information?
No. Clara only displays the specific information needed for rental applications: employer name, income source, and gross monthly income. Your full bank account or payroll details remain private.
Can I remove my verified income information?
Once submitted to a landlord, verified income data in that application remains visible to them. To update your income information for future applications, contact support@rentwithclara.com.
Is income verification mandatory?
It depends on the landlord. Some require it, some make it optional. You'll see which verifications are required when you start an application for a specific property.
I have roommates—how do we all verify income?
Each person (roommates, co-applicants, guarantors) completes their own independent income verification during the application process. Everyone gets their own Clara account and verifies individually.
I'm having trouble connecting—what should I do?
For payroll connection:
- Make sure pop-ups aren't blocked in your browser
- Try resetting your payroll password
- Restart your browser and try again
For bank connection:
- Verify you're using the correct online banking credentials
- Make sure pop-ups aren't blocked