VA loan basics

5 guides, read top to bottom, take you from VA Cash-Out Refinance Calculator to Reading Your VA Cash-Out Estimate: Fees, Value and Payoff.

Read in this order

1. VA Cash-Out Refinance Calculator1 min read

   Estimate VA cash-out proceeds from your own numbers, including whether the VA funding fee is financed.

   • VA allows a cash-out refinance up to a maximum loan-to-value based on the VA appraisal, and lenders may set a lower limit.
   • Unless you are exempt (for example, if you receive VA disability compensation), a funding fee applies.
2. Is a VA Cash-Out Right for You?1 min read

   Questions to weigh before using a VA cash-out refinance.

   • If you have a VA loan with favorable terms, an IRRRL or a second lien may cost less.
   • A VA cash-out uses entitlement; your COE shows what is available.
3. Type I vs. Type II VA Cash-Out Refinances1 min read

   How VA classifies cash-out refinances and why the distinction matters.

   • A Type I cash-out refinance has a new loan amount, including the funding fee, that does not exceed the payoff of the loan being refinanced.
   • A Type II cash-out refinance has a new loan amount that exceeds the payoff.
4. VA Cash-Out Seasoning and Recoupment Rules1 min read

   The timing and benefit tests VA applies to cash-out refinances of existing VA loans.

   • When refinancing a VA loan, the loan being refinanced must have six consecutive monthly payments made and 210 days since the first payment due date.
   • For Type I cash-outs, VA requires that fees and closing costs be recouped within 36 months.
5. Reading Your VA Cash-Out Estimate: Fees, Value and Payoff1 min read

   How the main inputs in a VA cash-out estimate work, and where to confirm each one.

   • VA assigns an appraiser who determines the reasonable value and checks the home against VA minimum property requirements.
   • Most borrowers pay a VA funding fee, which can be financed.

Run your own numbers

6 calculators on this site, all blank until you type:

• Cash-out estimate
• VA funding fee chart
• Payment and amortization
• Refinance break-even
• Debt-to-income check
• Closing cost worksheet

Check which programs fit

The loan finder asks six questions and points you to the programs worth reading about, with a side-by-side comparison table. It is education, not an eligibility decision.

Terms you will meet in these guides

• IRRRLfirst in Is a VA Cash-Out Right for You?
• Entitlementfirst in Is a VA Cash-Out Right for You?
• Certificate of Eligibility (COE)first in Is a VA Cash-Out Right for You?
• Funding feefirst in Is a VA Cash-Out Right for You?
• Cash-out refinancefirst in Is a VA Cash-Out Right for You?
• Appraisalfirst in Type I vs. Type II VA Cash-Out Refinances
• Loan Estimatefirst in Type I vs. Type II VA Cash-Out Refinances
• Closing Disclosurefirst in VA Cash-Out Seasoning and Recoupment Rules

Everything here is general education. Program rules change; confirm current requirements with the official sources below and with a licensed lender.

Sources

• VA.gov
• VA: Cash-out refinance loan
• VA: Certificate of Eligibility

Sources reviewed October 23, 2026. This page was assembled from the guides on this site.