Run your numbers
Monthly figures, before tax. Leave a field blank if it does not apply. Load an example (E-5 with dependents)
Estimate only, not a preapproval, a quote, or an offer. The VA's 41% figure is a guideline, not a cap, and lenders also apply a residual income test and their own standards. Source: 38 CFR 36.4340, VA underwriting standards.
How this estimate works
- Income. Base pay plus BAH plus anything you enter as other income, all monthly and before tax. BAH is not taxed; this estimate does not gross it up.
- The ratio. At the VA guideline, total monthly obligations (housing payment plus your other debt payments) are capped at 41% of that income. Your comfort ratio runs the same math at a lower share, so you see both.
- The payment. Principal and interest at your rate and term, plus property tax at the rate you enter, plus insurance and HOA. The tool solves for the highest price whose full payment fits.
- The funding fee. Added to the loan, the way most borrowers finance it: 2.15% for first use with less than 5% down, 3.3% for later use, 1.5% with 5% to 9.99% down, 1.25% with 10% or more, and waived with VA disability compensation (va.gov).
- Not included. The VA residual income test, lender overlays, closing costs, reserves, PMI (VA loans have none), and credit score effects on your rate.
What the VA actually checks
Two things, and the ratio is the smaller one. The VA's underwriting rule treats a debt-to-income ratio of 41% as a guideline: above it, the lender has to justify the loan in writing. The second test is residual income, the cash left each month after the housing payment, other debts, and taxes, compared with a VA table by family size, loan size, and region. A borrower can be under 41% and still fall short on residual income, or over 41% and still qualify with residual income well above the table. Ask any lender for both numbers, not just the ratio.
Source: 38 CFR 36.4340, Underwriting standards. Checked at the source: September 1, 2026. Plain-language background on ratios: CFPB.
Quick answers
Does BAH count as income for a VA loan? Lenders commonly count Basic Allowance for Housing as qualifying income because it is stable and expected to continue. It is not taxed, and some lenders account for that when they compare it with taxable pay. Policies differ by lender, so ask how yours treats BAH and BAS.
Is 41% a hard limit on a VA loan? No. The VA's underwriting standard in 38 CFR 36.4340 treats 41% as a guideline, not a cap. Ratios above 41% need a written justification and the VA also applies a residual income test, which looks at what is left each month after housing, debts, and taxes for your family size and region. Lenders may add their own limits.
What about the VA funding fee? On most VA purchase loans a one-time funding fee is added to the loan. In 2026 it is 2.15% for first use with less than 5% down and 3.3% for later use, lower with 5% or 10% down. Borrowers receiving VA disability compensation are exempt. This calculator finances the fee into the loan the way most borrowers do.
Is this a preapproval? No. It is an estimate built from the numbers you enter and the VA guideline ratio. A lender's preapproval uses your credit file, documented income, reserves, and the residual income test. Use this to set expectations before you talk to one, not in place of one.
Keep going
The price is one number in a bigger decision. These free StandWatch pages cover the rest:
