New: VA Loan Tools — 7-Step Guide + 6 Calculators
Published May 26, 2026
What's New
MilCheck now includes a VA loan planning suite alongside the existing pay calculator. The hub is organized in two sections: a 7-step real-world process guide that follows the actual order of a VA home purchase, and a "Know your numbers" section with five calculators to run before your lender conversation.
The Tools
Buy a Home with Your VA Loan (hub) — A 7-step guide through the real-world VA home purchase process, from verifying eligibility to closing. Includes a separate calculator section for running the numbers before you talk to a lender.
Eligibility Checker — Enter your service history and see whether you likely qualify for a VA-backed loan under M26-7 Ch. 2 criteria.
Entitlement Calculator — Calculate your available VA entitlement, accounting for any prior VA loan usage, with the math shown line by line.
Funding Fee Calculator — Enter your loan type, down payment, and prior VA loan usage to get the exact funding fee under VA Lender's Handbook M26-7 Ch. 8.
BAH vs. Mortgage Affordability — See whether your BAH covers the PITI (principal, interest, taxes, and insurance) and how much you'd owe out of pocket.
Mortgage Cost Calculator — Model the full PITI payment for a VA or conventional loan, with a month-by-month amortization table.
VA vs. Conventional Comparison — Compare the 5-year total cost of a VA loan vs. a conventional loan and see the exact break-even month.
Citation
Authority: 38 U.S.C. § 3710 (VA home loan guaranty program)
Eligibility rules: VA Lender's Handbook M26-7, Ch. 2
Entitlement math: VA Lender's Handbook M26-7, Ch. 3
Affordability / residual income / insurance defaults: VA Lender's Handbook M26-7, Ch. 4
Funding fee rates: VA Lender's Handbook M26-7, Ch. 8
Minimum Property Requirements: VA Lender's Handbook M26-7, Ch. 12
Appraisal / Notice of Value: VA Lender's Handbook M26-7, Ch. 13
Property tax defaults: Tax Foundation, 2026 State Tax Data, Table 33