A VA purchase loan already gets eligible veterans to $0 down and no monthly mortgage insurance. Beyond that: funding fee exemptions, disability housing grants, entitlement restoration, VA assumability, and state-level benefits you can stack on top of your loan.
Start a VA pre-qualification with a licensed loan originator.
VA home loan benefits go well beyond $0 down: no mortgage insurance ever, a financeable one-time funding fee that's waived for veterans with a service-connected disability, full entitlement with no loan limit, assumable loans, and access to grants like Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) for veterans with qualifying disabilities.
Between $0 down, no mortgage insurance, and a possible funding fee exemption, most eligible veterans can buy with very little cash out of pocket.
Reviewed by the licensed mortgage team at Simply Approved Mortgages · Last verified August 31, 2026 against the VA Lenders Handbook (M26-7)
Check my funding feeFull entitlement means there is no VA-imposed loan limit — a veteran can borrow whatever a lender approves with $0 down, thanks to the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. Partial (reduced) entitlement applies when a veteran has an existing VA loan, or a prior VA loan that was not fully restored after a default; in that case the guaranty is capped at 25% of the FHFA conforming loan limit for the county.
Source: VA.gov, VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, 38 CFR Part 36. Loan limits shown elsewhere on this site apply only to partial-entitlement borrowers, never to a veteran with full entitlement.
VA loans don't have down payment assistance to calculate — because they don't require a down payment. Instead, estimate the one-time funding fee below, see if you qualify for an exemption, and check what your entitlement status means for you.
VA funding fee estimator
VA loans require $0 down and never charge monthly mortgage insurance — the funding fee is the only VA-specific cost, and it's fully financeable or waived entirely for exempt veterans.
Estimates only. Nothing here is an application, pre-qualification, pre-approval, rate quote, rate lock or commitment to lend. You can keep using this tool without giving us anything.
Illustrative only — not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend. The VA sets no minimum credit score; any score requirement you see elsewhere on this site is a lender overlay, not a VA rule. Source: VA.gov funding fee table, 38 CFR 36.4313.
Do you currently have another active VA loan?
Is a disability rating pending or recently granted?
Answer the questions above for guidance on entitlement, restoration, and funding fee refunds.
Preliminary self-check only — no credit pulled. Not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend. Simply Approved Mortgages is not affiliated with the VA, HUD, USDA, FHFA, or any government agency. Equal Housing Opportunity. NMLS# 2620881.
These are the real programs beyond the VA loan itself: a fee waiver, disability housing grants, a direct-lending option for Native American veterans, state programs, and help if you're already struggling with an existing VA loan.
Veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability — and several other categories — pay a $0 funding fee instead of the standard 1.25%–3.30% (purchase) or 0.50% (IRRRL).
Not applicable — the fee is waived entirely, not financed or repaid.
Best for: Disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipients on active duty, and qualifying surviving spouses.
Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) and Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grants help veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities buy, build, or modify a home; Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) helps adapt a family member's home the veteran is temporarily living in.
None — these are VA grants, not loans, and are not repaid.
Best for: Veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability who need to buy or adapt a home.
The NADL is a direct VA loan — not a VA-guaranteed loan originated by a private lender — for Native American veterans (or a veteran married to a Native American veteran) who want to buy, build, or improve a home on federal trust land.
A standard amortizing direct loan from VA, repaid to VA like any mortgage.
Best for: Native American veterans (or their spouses) buying, building, or improving a home on federal trust land.
A handful of states run their own veteran loan, land-purchase, or closing-cost assistance programs that can be used alongside — or occasionally instead of — a VA-guaranteed loan.
Set by the state agency's own program terms; varies by state and program.
Best for: Veterans buying in a state that runs its own dedicated veteran loan program, or who want help with closing costs on a VA loan.
The Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program and VA loan technicians help veterans avoid foreclosure on an existing VA-guaranteed loan.
Set by VA's servicing terms if a loan is purchased into VASP; not a purchase-money benefit.
Best for: Veterans with an existing VA loan who are at risk of default or foreclosure.
Sources: VA.gov, VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, 38 CFR Part 36. Program terms are set by VA, the state agency, or the investor, and change without notice.
A VA loan comes with borrower protections most other loan types don't offer.
Every VA purchase requires a VA appraisal, ordered through the VA portal and performed by a VA-assigned appraiser, producing a Notice of Value (NOV). If the appraised value looks likely to come in below the contract price, the Tidewater process requires the lender to notify you before the NOV is finalized so you can submit additional comparable sales. After the NOV issues, a Reconsideration of Value (ROV) is the formal appeal path. The VA Amendment to Contract / escape clause lets a veteran walk away — and recover earnest money — if the NOV comes in under the contract price.
VA loans are assumable, including by a buyer who is not a veteran, subject to VA and lender approval of the buyer's credit and income. This can be valuable when a VA loan carries a rate below the current market. If the assuming buyer cannot substitute their own entitlement, the seller's entitlement remains tied to the property until the assumed loan is paid off — talk to your lender before agreeing to an assumption.
Veterans struggling to make payments on an existing VA loan should contact their servicer and VA as early as possible. VA loan technicians work directly with the servicer on the veteran's behalf, and the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program is one of the options reviewed before foreclosure.
Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) subsistence allowances and certain other VA education benefits can be counted as qualifying income under VA underwriting guidelines when properly documented and likely to continue — worth raising with your loan officer if you're using VR&E or the GI Bill.
Neither Colorado nor Florida runs its own state veteran home loan program — the benefit veterans in these states actually use is a disabled-veteran property tax exemption. Apply directly with the agency; we underwrite the VA loan around it.
Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs / county assessors
Florida's veteran property tax exemptions are administered county by county by each property appraiser's office.
Florida county property appraisers (F.S. 196.081)
Florida county property appraisers (Ch. 196, Florida Statutes)
No. A VA purchase loan is already $0 down / up to 100% LTV for an eligible veteran with full entitlement, and there is never monthly mortgage insurance (PMI or MIP) to pay. The only VA-specific cost is the one-time funding fee, which is financeable into the loan and waived entirely for many disabled veterans and surviving spouses.
Veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability, veterans who would be entitled to compensation but for retirement or active-duty pay, veterans rated eligible for compensation from a pre-discharge exam, active-duty Purple Heart recipients, and surviving spouses of veterans who died in service or from a service-connected disability (or who receive DIC) all pay a $0 funding fee.
If VA grants a disability rating retroactive to a date before your closing, you may be entitled to a refund of the funding fee you already paid. Ask your lender or VA Regional Loan Center about the refund process once your rating letter arrives.
Full entitlement has no VA-imposed loan limit — a veteran can borrow whatever a lender approves with $0 down. Partial (reduced) entitlement applies when a veteran has an existing VA loan, or a prior VA loan that was not fully restored, and it caps the guaranty at the FHFA conforming loan limit for the county. Entitlement is generally restored once a prior VA loan is paid in full and the property is sold, and a one-time restoration is available if the loan is paid off but the veteran keeps the home.
Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) and Special Home Adaptation (SHA) are VA grants — not loans — for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities. For fiscal year 2026, VA.gov lists SAH at up to $126,526 and SHA at up to $25,350. Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) uses part of that grant to adapt a family member's home instead.
The NADL is a direct loan from VA itself — not a private lender — for Native American veterans (or veterans married to a Native American veteran) buying, building, or improving a home on federal trust land. It requires $0 down, no monthly mortgage insurance, a 1.25% funding fee on purchase, and a Memorandum of Understanding between VA and the tribal government.
Yes. VA loans are assumable, including by a buyer who is not a veteran, subject to VA and lender approval of the buyer's credit and income. If the buyer is not a veteran able to substitute their own entitlement, the seller's entitlement stays tied up with the property until the loan is paid off, which can limit the seller's ability to use that entitlement again.
The VA appraisal produces a Notice of Value (NOV). If the value looks likely to come in under the contract price, the lender should use the Tidewater process to notify you before the NOV is finalized so you have a chance to submit additional comparable sales. After the NOV is issued, a Reconsideration of Value (ROV) is the formal appeal path. Under the VA Amendment to Contract, a veteran can walk away and recover earnest money if the NOV comes in under the contract price.
Contact your servicer and VA as early as possible. VA loan technicians work directly with your servicer to review options — including repayment plans, modification, and the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program — before foreclosure. This assistance applies to an existing VA loan in distress; it is not a purchase-money benefit.
Yes. Most states offer a disabled-veteran property tax exemption, and some — including California (CalVet), Texas (VLB), Oregon (ODVA), Wisconsin (WDVA), and Alaska (AHFC) — run their own state veteran loan programs. Some states and localities also offer optional closing-cost assistance that can be layered on top of a VA purchase loan; it is not a substitute for the down payment VA loans do not require.
Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) subsistence allowances and certain other VA education benefits can be counted as qualifying income under VA underwriting guidelines when they are properly documented and likely to continue, which can help a veteran or dependent qualify for a VA loan.
Pre-qualification with your funding-fee exemption reviewed up front. Not an approval or a commitment to lend.
SAM is the Simply Approved Mortgages AI assistant, grounded in the VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, 38 CFR Part 36 and the county loan-limit file behind this page. It answers general VA questions. A licensed mortgage loan originator reviews every scenario before any terms are confirmed.
Hi — I'm SAM with Simply Approved Mortgages. Ask a question about VA housing benefits, or pick one of the popular questions beside this box.
AI assistant — general VA loan education only, not financial, legal or tax advice, not a loan approval, pre-approval or commitment to lend. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC (NMLS #2620881) is an independent mortgage broker and is not the VA, HUD or any government agency, and is not endorsed by them. All loans are subject to lender underwriting, appraisal and final approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Hand-picked pages that answer the questions most people have after reading this one.
Related VA topics for this page — tap any question to jump straight to the answer.
The VA funding fee schedule sets the one-time cost that replaces mortgage insurance on every VA loan. Here's the current chart, who's exempt, and how it's financed.
Veterans receiving VA disability compensation pay $0 funding fee — often the single biggest savings in the entire loan. Here's how the exemption is proven and refunded.
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.
Program rules and figures on this page are taken from the primary government sources below, not from third-party summaries.
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.
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