VA loans never carry monthly PMI or MIP — the one-time funding fee below replaces it.
💡 Extra Payment Savings
See how much you can save by adding extra to your monthly VA loan payment.
| Interest Saved | New Payoff Time | Time Saved | New Monthly Payment | Original Monthly Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $105,491.58 | 24y 0m | 6y | $3,347.93 | $3,109.48 |
| total interest reduction | vs 30y original | off your loan term | with +$238.45/mo extra | without extra payments |
🎖️ VA Entitlement Calculator
Estimate how much entitlement you have available and your zero-down purchasing power.
Default county loan limit is the 2026 VA standard limit of $832,750 for most U.S. counties. High-cost counties may be higher — check your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for your exact figures.
| Basic Entitlement | Total Entitlement Available | Remaining Entitlement | Est. Zero-Down Loan Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| $36,000 | $208,188 | $208,188 | $832,750 |
| fixed by statute | 25% of county loan limit | after entitlement used | remaining entitlement × 4 |
VA Loan Amortization Schedule
See how your loan balance and interest paid change over the life of your VA loan.
| Year | Principal Paid | Interest Paid | Total Payment | Cumulative Interest | Remaining Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $5,256.34 | $23,357.41 | $28,613.74 | $23,357.41 | $403,343.66 |
| Year 2 | $5,566.67 | $23,047.08 | $28,613.74 | $46,404.48 | $397,776.99 |
| Year 3 | $5,895.32 | $22,718.42 | $28,613.74 | $69,122.90 | $391,881.67 |
| Year 4 | $6,243.38 | $22,370.36 | $28,613.74 | $91,493.26 | $385,638.29 |
| Year 5 | $6,611.99 | $22,001.75 | $28,613.74 | $113,495.02 | $379,026.30 |
| Year 6 | $7,002.36 | $21,611.38 | $28,613.74 | $135,106.40 | $372,023.93 |
| Year 7 | $7,415.78 | $21,197.96 | $28,613.74 | $156,304.36 | $364,608.15 |
| Year 8 | $7,853.61 | $20,760.14 | $28,613.74 | $177,064.50 | $356,754.54 |
| Year 9 | $8,317.28 | $20,296.46 | $28,613.74 | $197,360.96 | $348,437.26 |
| Year 10 | $8,808.33 | $19,805.41 | $28,613.74 | $217,166.37 | $339,628.93 |
| Year 11 | $9,328.38 | $19,285.37 | $28,613.74 | $236,451.74 | $330,300.55 |
| Year 12 | $9,879.12 | $18,734.62 | $28,613.74 | $255,186.36 | $320,421.43 |
| Year 13 | $10,462.38 | $18,151.36 | $28,613.74 | $273,337.72 | $309,959.05 |
| Year 14 | $11,080.08 | $17,533.66 | $28,613.74 | $290,871.38 | $298,878.96 |
| Year 15 | $11,734.25 | $16,879.50 | $28,613.74 | $307,750.88 | $287,144.72 |
| Year 16 | $12,427.04 | $16,186.71 | $28,613.74 | $323,937.59 | $274,717.68 |
| Year 17 | $13,160.73 | $15,453.02 | $28,613.74 | $339,390.61 | $261,556.96 |
| Year 18 | $13,937.73 | $14,676.01 | $28,613.74 | $354,066.62 | $247,619.22 |
| Year 19 | $14,760.61 | $13,853.13 | $28,613.74 | $367,919.75 | $232,858.61 |
| Year 20 | $15,632.08 | $12,981.67 | $28,613.74 | $380,901.42 | $217,226.53 |
| Year 21 | $16,554.99 | $12,058.75 | $28,613.74 | $392,960.17 | $200,671.54 |
| Year 22 | $17,532.40 | $11,081.35 | $28,613.74 | $404,041.52 | $183,139.14 |
| Year 23 | $18,567.51 | $10,046.24 | $28,613.74 | $414,087.75 | $164,571.63 |
| Year 24 | $19,663.73 | $8,950.01 | $28,613.74 | $423,037.77 | $144,907.90 |
| Year 25 | $20,824.67 | $7,789.07 | $28,613.74 | $430,826.84 | $124,083.23 |
| Year 26 | $22,054.16 | $6,559.59 | $28,613.74 | $437,386.42 | $102,029.07 |
| Year 27 | $23,356.23 | $5,257.51 | $28,613.74 | $442,643.94 | $78,672.84 |
| Year 28 | $24,735.18 | $3,878.56 | $28,613.74 | $446,522.50 | $53,937.66 |
| Year 29 | $26,195.54 | $2,418.20 | $28,613.74 | $448,940.71 | $27,742.12 |
| Year 30 | $27,742.12 | $871.62 | $28,613.74 | $449,812.33 | $0.00 |
How to Use This VA Home Loan Calculator
If you have earned VA loan benefits through military service, a dedicated VA home loan calculator gives you a far more accurate picture than a generic mortgage tool. VA loans work differently from conventional financing — there is no monthly PMI, a $0 down payment is standard, and a one-time VA funding fee takes the place of mortgage insurance. LoanRateCheck's VA mortgage calculator accounts for all of it: enter your home price, down payment (even $0), interest rate, and term, choose whether this is your first or subsequent use of the benefit, and the calculator instantly returns your full monthly payment, your funding fee, and a complete amortization schedule.
The Math Behind Your VA Loan Payment
Every fixed-rate VA loan follows the same amortization formula used across the mortgage industry: it takes your loan principal, your monthly interest rate (annual rate divided by 12), and your total number of payments (loan term in years multiplied by 12) and produces a level monthly principal-and-interest payment. This VA loan payment calculator runs that formula the moment you click Calculate. Because VA loans allow $0 down, your principal is frequently closer to the home's full purchase price than it would be with a conventional loan, so the funding fee and interest rate you enter carry extra weight in the final number — small differences in rate can move your monthly payment more than they would on a loan with 20% already paid down.
Understanding the VA Funding Fee
The VA funding fee is a one-time charge paid to the Department of Veterans Affairs that helps keep the VA loan program funded for future borrowers, since there is no monthly mortgage insurance to offset lender risk. The fee is calculated as a percentage of your loan amount and depends on three factors: your down payment, whether this is your first or a subsequent use of your VA entitlement, and whether you qualify for an exemption.
| Down Payment | First-Time Use | Subsequent Use |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5% | 2.15% | 3.30% |
| 5% to 9.99% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
| 10% or more | 1.25% | 1.25% |
Veterans receiving VA disability compensation, Purple Heart recipients on active duty, and certain surviving spouses receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) are exempt from the funding fee entirely. Rates shown reflect the 2026 VA funding fee schedule for purchase and construction loans.
This VA mortgage calculator applies the correct tier automatically based on the down payment and usage type you select, and lets you choose whether to roll the fee into your loan balance or pay it in cash at closing. Financing the fee raises your loan amount and total interest slightly but keeps more cash in your pocket at the closing table — a trade-off worth checking with both options before you decide.
VA Entitlement Calculator: What It Means and How to Estimate It
VA entitlement is not the amount you are allowed to borrow — it is the dollar amount the VA guarantees your lender if you default, and it is what allows lenders to approve $0-down financing in the first place. Every eligible veteran starts with $36,000 in basic entitlement, which covers 25% of loans up to $144,000. Because most homes cost more than that today, the VA also provides bonus entitlement equal to 25% of your county's conforming loan limit. The VA entitlement calculator built into this page estimates your total and remaining entitlement: enter your county loan limit (the 2026 standard limit is $832,750 for most counties) and any entitlement already tied up in an existing VA loan, and it returns your remaining entitlement and an estimated zero-down purchasing ceiling — a useful planning number, though your lender's calculation from your official Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is always the final word.
Veterans with full entitlement — meaning no active VA loan currently using any of their guarantee — generally face no loan limit at all and can borrow whatever a qualified lender approves with $0 down, subject to income and credit underwriting. Veterans with an existing VA loan still in use have partial, or "second-tier," entitlement, which caps their zero-down buying power at their county's loan limit minus the entitlement already committed. Entitlement used on a prior VA loan typically becomes available again once that home is sold and the loan paid off, or through a one-time restoration if you still own the property but have paid the loan down or refinanced out of the VA program.
Who Is Eligible for a VA Home Loan?
VA loan eligibility generally extends to veterans who meet minimum active-duty service requirements, current active-duty service members, members of the National Guard and Reserve who meet separate service thresholds, and certain surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty or from a service-connected disability. Eligibility is confirmed through a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), which your lender can typically pull electronically in minutes. Unlike conventional or FHA loans, the VA itself does not set a minimum credit score — that is left to individual lenders, most of whom look for a score of 620 or higher, though some VA lenders work with scores in the 580–619 range given the strength of the VA guarantee.
VA Loans vs. Conventional, FHA, and USDA Loans
Conventional loans are privately funded, typically require 3–20% down, and carry monthly PMI below 20% down that cancels once you reach 20% equity. FHA loans allow credit scores as low as 580 with 3.5% down but carry both an upfront mortgage insurance premium and an annual MIP that often lasts the life of the loan. USDA loans serve eligible rural and suburban buyers with $0 down but apply household income limits and an annual guarantee fee. VA loans stand apart: $0 down for eligible borrowers, no monthly mortgage insurance of any kind, competitive interest rates, and a one-time funding fee that many veterans are exempt from altogether. For borrowers who qualify, a VA loan is very often the lowest total-cost path to homeownership available — which is exactly why this VA home loan calculator exists, to make that comparison concrete with real numbers instead of generalities.
Should You Finance the VA Funding Fee or Pay It at Closing?
Most borrowers choose to roll the funding fee into their loan balance rather than pay it in cash, since VA loans are often used precisely because the borrower has limited cash reserves for a large upfront payment. Financing the fee increases your loan amount — and therefore your monthly payment and total interest — by a modest amount over the life of the loan. Paying the fee in cash at closing keeps your loan balance and monthly payment lower but requires more money on hand at the closing table. Use the checkbox in this VA loan payment calculator to toggle between the two approaches and compare the resulting monthly payment and total interest side by side before deciding which fits your finances.
Closing Costs on a VA Loan
While VA loans require no down payment, they are not entirely free to close. Typical VA closing costs include the appraisal, origination charges, title insurance, recording fees, and prepaid escrow for taxes and insurance — commonly 1%–5% of the loan amount, excluding the funding fee itself. VA rules cap certain lender fees and prohibit some charges conventional lenders can pass on, and sellers are permitted to contribute up to 4% of the purchase price toward the buyer's closing costs and prepaids, which many veterans negotiate for as part of their offer. Always request a Loan Estimate from your VA lender for an itemized breakdown before committing.
Refinancing a VA Loan: IRRRL and Cash-Out Options
Veterans who already have a VA loan have two refinance paths. The VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL), often called a VA Streamline Refinance, carries a low 0.50% funding fee and is designed specifically to lower your rate or move from an adjustable to a fixed rate with minimal documentation. A VA cash-out refinance lets eligible veterans (including some who currently have a non-VA loan) refinance into a VA loan and take equity out in cash, but is charged at the same first-use or subsequent-use funding fee rates as a purchase loan with $0 down, regardless of how much equity is in the home. Run either scenario through this VA mortgage calculator by adjusting the loan amount, rate, and funding fee inputs to model your new payment before applying.
Getting the Most Accurate Result From This Calculator
Start with a real interest rate quote — VA rates are typically competitive with or below conventional rates, so check current offers from two or three VA-approved lenders before estimating. Enter your county's actual property tax rate from your local assessor's site and a real homeowners insurance quote rather than a placeholder. Run your numbers with the funding fee both financed and paid in cash to see the true cost difference, and use the VA entitlement estimator above to confirm your zero-down ceiling matches what your lender's COE shows. Finally, model a modest extra monthly payment in the Extra Payment Savings section — because VA loans have no PMI dragging down the benefit of paying extra, additional principal payments on a VA loan translate into interest savings just as efficiently as on any other fixed-rate mortgage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this VA home loan calculator show me?
This VA home loan calculator estimates your monthly payment broken down into principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and HOA fees, plus your one-time VA funding fee. It also shows total interest and total cost over the life of the loan, a full amortization schedule, and a built-in VA entitlement estimator for zero-down eligibility.
How is a VA loan payment calculated differently from a conventional loan?
The principal-and-interest portion uses the same amortization formula as any fixed-rate loan. The difference is that VA loans never include monthly PMI, commonly start at $0 down, and add a one-time VA funding fee that can either be paid in cash at closing or rolled into the loan balance — both of which this VA loan payment calculator accounts for.
What is the VA funding fee?
The VA funding fee is a one-time charge paid to the Department of Veterans Affairs in place of monthly mortgage insurance. For purchase loans it ranges from 1.25% to 3.30% of the loan amount depending on your down payment and whether it is your first or a subsequent use of your VA entitlement. It can be financed into the loan or paid at closing.
Am I exempt from the VA funding fee?
Veterans receiving VA disability compensation, Purple Heart recipients still on active duty, and certain surviving spouses receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) are exempt from the funding fee. Check the exemption box in the calculator to see your payment with the fee removed, and confirm your exact status with your VA lender.
What is VA entitlement and how does the VA entitlement calculator work?
VA entitlement is the dollar amount the VA guarantees your lender if you default, and it is what enables $0-down financing. Every eligible veteran has $36,000 in basic entitlement plus bonus entitlement tied to the county loan limit. The VA entitlement calculator on this page estimates your remaining entitlement and zero-down loan ceiling based on your county loan limit and any entitlement already in use.
Do I need a down payment for a VA loan?
No down payment is required for most eligible veterans with full entitlement, which is one of the defining benefits of a VA loan. A down payment can still lower your VA funding fee tier and reduce your monthly payment, so many borrowers choose to put some money down even though it is not required.
Is there a maximum VA loan amount?
Veterans with full entitlement generally have no VA loan limit and can borrow whatever amount a lender approves with $0 down, subject to credit and income underwriting. Veterans with partial or second-tier entitlement from an existing VA loan are limited to their remaining entitlement multiplied by four for a true $0-down purchase — estimate this with the VA entitlement calculator above.
What credit score do I need for a VA loan?
The VA itself sets no minimum credit score — that requirement comes from individual lenders. Most VA lenders look for a score of 620 or higher, though some approve borrowers in the 580–619 range given the strength of the VA guarantee. A higher score still typically unlocks a better interest rate.
Should I finance the VA funding fee into my loan or pay it at closing?
Financing the funding fee raises your loan balance, monthly payment, and total interest slightly but requires less cash upfront. Paying it at closing keeps your loan amount lower but requires more cash on hand. Toggle the checkbox in the calculator to compare both approaches side by side for your specific numbers.
Can I export or print my VA loan calculation?
Yes. Enter your email address in the Export section of the results panel, then click PDF, Excel, or Print. Your inputs, full payment breakdown, funding fee details, and annual amortization schedule are all included. Your email is saved for tracking purposes only and is never shared or used for marketing.