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VA Entitlement Calculator 2026 — See Your Remaining Entitlement
If you still owe on a prior VA loan, your remaining entitlement determines how much you can borrow with zero down on a new one. Estimate your remaining entitlement and max loan amount below.
VA entitlement is the dollar amount the VA guarantees on your loan, and it determines how much you can borrow with no down payment. Veterans with a prior outstanding VA loan have reduced, or second-tier, entitlement available for a new loan, while veterans with no outstanding VA loan generally have full entitlement and no county loan limit cap.
- ✓Full entitlement applies when you have no outstanding VA loan; there is generally no county limit cap in that case.
- ✓A prior, still-outstanding VA loan uses up part of your entitlement (second-tier or bonus entitlement scenario).
- ✓VA guarantees 25% of the loan amount, which is the basis for the entitlement math.
- ✓County conforming loan limits still matter for calculating the maximum zero-down loan amount when entitlement is partially used.
- ✓Restoring entitlement after paying off or selling a prior VA-financed home can restore full entitlement for future purchases.
What this means for you: if you still owe on a VA loan, this calculator estimates how much entitlement remains and whether a down payment will be needed on your next purchase.
Written by
Simply Approved Mortgages Team
Licensed Loan Officers · NMLS# 2620881
Get your personalized scenario summary
Complete the short request and a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer sends back a written summary built from your own numbers: estimated payment breakdown, estimated cash to close, the loan structures that fit your file, and what documentation the file will need.
- Estimated monthly payment with taxes and insurance
- Estimated cash to close for your scenario
- Loan options your profile may fit
- Document checklist for your file
Takes about 3 minutes · Summary shown on screen and emailed to you
Illustration only, generated from the information you enter. Not a rate quote, lock, loan estimate, pre-qualification, offer, approval, or commitment to lend. Figures are subject to credit, income, asset and property review and full lender underwriting; binding numbers appear on your Loan Estimate.
Scenario summary
- Purchase price entered
- $412,000
- Down payment entered
- $20,600
- Estimated loan amount
- $391,400
- Estimated cash to close
- $14,300
- Programs reviewed
- 4
Sample layout with example figures — your own numbers replace these. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC · NMLS #2620881 · Equal Housing Opportunity.
VA Entitlement Calculator
Estimate your remaining VA entitlement
County loan limits no longer cap veterans with full entitlement, per the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act (effective January 1, 2020). This estimate applies only if you still owe on a prior VA loan (second-tier/partial entitlement).
Remaining entitlement
$208,188
Full entitlement — no prior loan outstanding
Max no-down-payment loan
No county cap
Still subject to appraisal and residual income.
Down payment needed
$0
For your entered desired loan amount.
Illustrative only. Actual entitlement is determined by the VA and shown on your Certificate of Eligibility. This is not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate. Simply Approved Mortgages is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Next steps
Emailing your VA entitlement calculator scenario opens our secure request form so a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer can review those numbers. Estimates are illustrative and are not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend.
Assumptions, methodology, and limitations
Applies VA basic entitlement ($36,000) and the 25% guaranty percentage against your entered county conforming loan limit and any entitlement already in use, per VA Pamphlet 26-7, Chapter 7 (see src/lib/va-entitlement.ts).
This is an estimate only. Your actual entitlement is calculated by the VA and shown on your Certificate of Eligibility; local county limits vary and should be confirmed for your specific property.
Results are illustrative estimates only and are not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend. No rate, APR, or program approval is implied. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate. Eligibility, terms, and availability vary by borrower, property, lender, loan program, and state.
Run your scenario with a loan officer
Share your numbers and a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer sends back an estimated payment, estimated cash to close, and the structures that fit your file. Educational only — not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend.
What VA entitlement means
VA entitlement is the dollar amount the Department of Veterans Affairs guarantees to your lender if you default. Because VA guarantees a quarter of the loan amount, entitlement is the mechanism that lets qualified veterans borrow with no down payment: lenders are willing to lend without one because the guaranty reduces their risk of loss.
Full entitlement versus second-tier (bonus) entitlement
Without an outstanding VA loan, you typically hold full entitlement, and since the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act took effect January 1, 2020, a county loan limit ceiling generally no longer applies while full entitlement is in use. Carry a balance on a prior VA loan, though, and your remaining entitlement shrinks; the county conforming loan limit then re-enters the math for sizing the largest zero-down loan available on a second purchase.
How the math works
VA guarantees 25% of the loan amount. Basic entitlement is $36,000, guaranteeing loans up to $144,000. For higher loan amounts, bonus entitlement extends the guaranty using the county conforming loan limit as the ceiling. When entitlement is partially used by a prior loan, the calculator subtracts that usage before estimating your remaining maximum zero-down loan amount.
Want these numbers built around your file?
A short request is all it takes to get a written scenario summary back from a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate.
Restoring entitlement
Entitlement used on a prior VA loan can often be restored once that loan is paid in full, or in some cases through a one-time restoration even if the property was sold with an assumption. Restoring entitlement is handled by the VA and typically requires documentation confirming the prior loan is satisfied.
How a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer helps
Entitlement calculations depend on your exact Certificate of Eligibility figures and the county limit for your target property. A Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer can pull your COE and confirm the real numbers before you make an offer.
Figures shown are illustrative estimates and not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate. Simply Approved Mortgages is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
What you can do with this loan
Estimate your remaining entitlement if you already have a VA loan.
See your maximum zero-down loan amount for a target county limit.
Calculate the down payment needed if you want to exceed that maximum.
Understand whether you qualify for full or second-tier entitlement.
Plan a purchase while keeping a prior VA-financed rental property.
Pros & cons — honest tradeoffs
Pros — Pros & cons
- +Lets qualified veterans reuse VA benefits for a second home purchase.
- +Full entitlement generally removes county loan limit caps entirely.
- +Entitlement can be restored after a prior loan is paid off.
- +The guaranty structure keeps VA loans accessible with no down payment.
- +Transparent published formula makes early estimates possible.
Cons / watch-outs — Pros & cons
- −A prior outstanding VA loan reduces what is available for a new purchase.
- −Second-tier scenarios may require a down payment to reach a desired loan amount.
- −County loan limits still matter when entitlement is only partially available.
- −Restoration requires the prior loan to be satisfied and VA processing time.
- −Estimates here can differ from your official Certificate of Eligibility figures.
Compare loan officer compensation on your mortgage quote
Loan officer compensation is part of the cost of a mortgage. On eligible residential loans, Simply Approved Mortgages generally uses 1.5% lender-paid compensation. Enter the compensation shown on another lender's Loan Estimate to see the difference in dollars.
Compensation difference on this illustration: $3,750.
How lower compensation can help you
When less compensation is built into pricing, there can be room for a lower interest rate, which may lower your monthly payment.
Depending on the rate you choose, pricing can sometimes include a lender credit toward third-party closing costs, so you may bring less cash to closing.
A lower rate means a lower monthly payment, which can lower your debt-to-income ratio and may help you qualify for more home on the same income.
As a mortgage broker we compare pricing from wholesale lenders instead of offering a single bank’s retail pricing.
Tip: On page 2 of your Loan Estimate, look at Section A, "Origination Charges." If the lender pays the loan officer, that compensation usually does not appear there as its own line; it is built into the interest rate. That is why comparing the rate and any lender credits side by side matters.
Already have a Loan Estimate from another bank or broker? Share it with a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer, who will compare the rate, fees and credits side by side with options we can arrange. No cost to request a review.
Illustration only — not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend; binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate. Lender-paid compensation is paid by the lender, not directly by you, and is part of the loan's pricing, so the loan is not free of costs. A lower compensation figure does not by itself guarantee a lower rate or lower closing costs; individual results vary by credit, loan type, property and market conditions. Residential lending in FL and CO only. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC · NMLS #2620881 · Equal Housing Opportunity.
Worked example
How this loan actually works — a full example
A veteran has a prior VA loan outstanding with $20,000 of entitlement in use and wants to buy a second home in a county with an $832,750 conforming loan limit.
Inputs
- Entitlement in use
- $20,000
- County loan limit
- $832,750
- Desired new loan amount
- $500,000
Calculation
- 1Remaining entitlementCalculator applies VA formula
- 2Max zero-down loanBased on remaining entitlement x 4
- 3Down payment needed for $500,000If loan exceeds max zero-down amount
Illustrative only — not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate.
Purchase market update
What buyers should know this month
30-Yr Fixed · national avg
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15-Yr Fixed · national avg
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2026 buying power
Conforming baseline: $832,750
FHA floor / ceiling: $541,287 – $1,249,125
Full entitlement, no county cap
Most veterans with no outstanding VA loan face no county limit ceiling.
Second-tier entitlement
A prior outstanding VA loan reduces what is available for a new one.
Restoration available
Paying off a prior VA loan can restore your full entitlement.
Cost and payment tools
Run your payment, affordability, closing cost and refinance numbers
Monthly payment, affordability, closing costs, refinance break-even and early payoff, all on one screen. This page is not written for one state, so property tax, insurance and transfer or recording charges start at neutral placeholder assumptions rather than published averages — Transfer, documentary-stamp and recording charges are set by your state and county — enter your own figure, or open the state page for a sourced seed. Insurance and tax assumptions vary widely by state, county and property, so replace these starting values with quotes for your address. Every figure is an illustrative estimate, not a quote, lock, offer, approval, or commitment to lend.
Your inputs
Estimated result
- Down payment
- $20,000
- Loan amount
- $380,000
- Principal & interest
- $2,402
- Property tax
- $333/mo
- Homeowners insurance
- $167/mo
- Estimated total monthly
- $2,902/mo
Reference sources: Tax Foundation — property taxes paid as a percentage of owner-occupied housing value, NAIC — Homeowners Insurance Report, CFPB — Understanding your Loan Estimate.
Assumptions, methodology, and limitations
Principal and interest use the standard amortization formula on the loan amount you enter. This page does not target a single state, so the property tax and insurance fields start at neutral placeholder assumptions rather than published averages — replace them with figures for your own address, or open the matching state page for sourced seeds. Closing costs apply your state's transfer / documentary-stamp practice (0.00% of price used as the buyer-side seed) plus typical title, recording, appraisal, credit and prepaid escrow lines. Refinance break-even divides your entered costs by the monthly payment difference. Early payoff runs a month-by-month amortization with your extra principal.
These tools do not include mortgage insurance, funding or guarantee fees, HOA special assessments, flood or windstorm premiums, seller credits, lender credits, discount points, or county and municipal charges specific to your parcel. Statewide averages will not match any individual property. Figures are estimates only.
Illustrative only. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate, and terms vary by borrower, property, lender, program, and state.
Turn these estimates into real numbers
Send your scenario to a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer and get a written summary back, or compare where rates sit today. Educational only — not a quote, lock, offer, approval, or commitment to lend.
VA Entitlement Calculator 2026 FAQs
Answers to the most common VA entitlement calculator 2026 questions, written by licensed loan officers.
Ask SAM anything about mortgages
SAM is the Simply Approved Mortgages AI assistant. It answers general questions using the reviewed guides published on this site and links you to the primary government source. It is educational only — it does not quote a rate, payment, APR, approval or commitment to lend. A Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer reviews every scenario before any terms are confirmed.
Hi, I'm SAM — an AI assistant for Simply Approved Mortgages. I can explain loan programs, closing costs, DTI, down payments and which calculator or guide to use. I'm not a licensed loan officer, and nothing here is a quote, approval or commitment to lend.
Ask Sam AI provides general educational information only. It is an automated assistant, may be incomplete or out of date, and does not provide legal, tax or financial advice. Nothing it produces is a rate quote, APR, pre-approval, offer or commitment to lend. Never share a Social Security number, ITIN, date of birth, account number or password in chat. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC (NMLS #2620881) arranges residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado. Eligibility, terms, conditions and availability vary by borrower, property, lender, loan program and state, and all loans are subject to lender underwriting and approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Trusted government resources
These independent government resources can help you research mortgage programs, rates, and your rights before you apply.
VA
VA — Home Loan Eligibility & Entitlement
VA
VA Lenders Handbook (Pamphlet 26-7), Chapter 7
FHFA
FHFA — Conforming Loan Limits
Simply Approved Mortgages is not affiliated with HUD, the CFPB, the FTC, the VA, or any other government agency. Links are provided for your independent verification.
How this page connects
Where this fits in the VA lending library
This page sits inside our VA lending coverage.
What most readers open next
- VA funding fee percentages and exemptionsBecause the fee changes with use count and disability status.
- VA appraisal and Minimum Property RequirementsBecause MPRs decide whether a property can be financed at all.
- The VA IRRRL refinanceBecause the streamlined path once the loan is in place.
Explore the full guide
Keep reading — the rest of the buying playbook
Each of these is a deep-dive on one piece of the purchase mortgage process. Bookmark whichever you need next.
Guide
VA Entitlement Restoration
How to restore entitlement after a prior VA loan.
Read the guide →Guide
VA Funding Fee Calculator
Estimate your funding fee alongside entitlement.
Read the guide →Guide
VA Certificate of Eligibility
Where your official entitlement figure lives.
Read the guide →Guide
VA Residual Income Requirements
The other key VA underwriting test.
Read the guide →Guide
VA Loans — Complete Guide
Every VA program and rule.
Read the guide →Guide
VA Loan Rates
Current VA rate trends and pricing factors.
Read the guide →Internal library
Related mortgage guides across our library
Follow the next relevant guide for your scenario.
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Complete this short request and a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer will personally review your scenario. The form only asks what your program actually needs. Submitting it is not an application for credit and is not a commitment to lend.
Tell us about your scenario
The form below is tailored to VA loan — only the questions and documents your program needs.
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is licensed to arrange residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado only. We ask first so we never collect a mortgage inquiry we are not licensed to act on.
VA loans allow $0 down for eligible service. Purchase price is enough to size the loan.
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Simplify Your Mortgage Journey with These Resources
Talk To A Loan Officer
A Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer will personally connect with you to walk through your options.
Mortgage insights & guides
Plain-language articles to help you understand the home loan process, save on closing costs, and make confident decisions.
7 things every first-time homebuyer should know before applying
From credit prep to down payment assistance, here’s how to walk into your first mortgage application with confidence.
Using your VA loan benefit: a step-by-step guide
Eligibility, the Certificate of Eligibility, funding fees, and how to maximize zero-down purchasing power.
Where your closing costs actually go (and where you can save)
A line-by-line breakdown of the Loan Estimate and the fees that are negotiable versus fixed.
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