VA Loan Eligibility for Surviving Spouses: What Qualifies and How to Apply
Un-remarried surviving spouses of veterans who died in service or from a service-connected disability can use the VA loan benefit — often with the funding fee waived entirely.
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TL;DR — quick answer
Are surviving spouses eligible for a VA loan?
Yes. Surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty or from a service-connected disability are eligible for a VA loan if they have not remarried, or remarried after age 57 or on/after December 16, 2003. Surviving spouses receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation are also exempt from the VA funding fee.
Sourced from the primary government publications cited at the end of this article.
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What the loan looks like once you're eligible
A surviving spouse's VA loan works exactly like any other veteran's VA loan: $0 down for eligible borrowers, no monthly mortgage insurance, the funding fee (or exemption), and the same underwriting flexibility around credit and residual income. Entitlement amount depends on whether the surviving spouse is using the veteran's own entitlement or has independent eligibility.
A note on remarriage timing
The December 16, 2003 date and age-57 threshold come directly from federal law changes expanding surviving spouse benefits — if your remarriage falls near that boundary, it's worth having a lender or VA regional loan center confirm your specific eligibility rather than assuming either way.
Sources for this article
This article summarizes published federal program rules. The primary sources below govern the figures and requirements described above.
Verified against VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, Change 6 — August 12, 2026. Simply Approved Mortgages is not affiliated with or endorsed by HUD, VA, or any government agency.
Educational information notice
This article is for general educational and informational purposes only. We work to keep our content accurate and current, but errors, omissions, or outdated information may occur. Verify current requirements with official sources and a licensed loan officer before making financial decisions. This article is not legal, tax, or financial advice; a rate quote; an approval; or a commitment to lend. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is not liable for decisions made based solely on this article.
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By submitting this form you consent to receive VA rate, market and program update emails from Simply Approved Mortgages LLC at the address provided. Consent is not a condition of any purchase or of obtaining credit, and this is not an application. We do not autodial, call or send SMS/text messages to newsletter subscribers. Message frequency varies; unsubscribe any time. Read our Privacy Notice.
