VA loans · Entitlement
VA Entitlement Calculator
See how much you can still buy with $0 down when part of your VA benefit is tied up in another loan, including a VA loan someone assumed from you.
Most you can borrow with $0 down
$482,750
You can buy up to $482,750 with $0 down in El Paso County.
- County loan limit (2026)
- $832,750
- Purchase price
- $450,000
- VA loan amount
- $450,000
- Down payment
- $0
Why the down payment is so small
Lenders want the VA to back 25% of your loan. Your remaining VA benefit fully backs a loan up to $482,750 in El Paso County. If the home costs more, you only cover 25% of the part above that line, not 25% of the whole price. This price is under that line, so you put $0 down.
Estimate only. Your lender confirms eligibility from your COE. The VA funding fee and closing costs are not included.
Want us to run this for a specific home, or see assumable VA homes you can buy with what you have left?
Talk to an agentHow to use it
Three inputs, about a minute
- 1
Pick the state and county you are buying in
The VA ties your remaining benefit to that county's loan limit. Most counties use the 2026 baseline of $832,750. Higher-cost counties go up to $1,299,500.
- 2
Enter the purchase price
The price of the home you want, or the top of your range if you are still shopping.
- 3
Enter your VA loan that is still open
Type the original amount you borrowed on it. If someone assumed your VA loan and did not substitute their own entitlement, that loan counts as still open. Have your COE? Switch to "I have my COE" and enter the entitlement charged instead. Enter 0 if you have no VA loan open.
Two common situations
A veteran seller lets a non-veteran assume their loan
Part of their VA benefit stays with that loan. How much can they buy next?
A veteran with a VA loan still open buys above that
Same $350,000 original loan, buying a $550,000 home.
Questions we hear
What is a COE, and why do the examples use the original loan amount instead?
A COE (Certificate of Eligibility) is the VA's record of your home loan benefit. It lists how much of your entitlement is "charged" to VA loans you still have open, and that figure is the most exact number you can put in this calculator. Most people do not have a COE in hand, but they do know what they first borrowed. For any loan over $144,000, the VA charges 25% of the original loan amount, so the original amount gives the same answer in almost every case. Use the original amount, not today's balance: paying the loan down does not free up any entitlement. You can request a COE free at va.gov, or a lender can pull it for you in minutes.
If I have never used my VA benefit, is there a limit?
No. With your full benefit, the VA sets no county loan limit. Your lender decides how much you qualify for, and there is no down payment required.
How do I get my full benefit back?
Two ways: pay off the loan and sell the home, or have a veteran buyer assume your loan and substitute their own entitlement. Then you can apply to the VA to restore yours.
Does a non-veteran assuming my loan use up all of my VA benefit?
No. Only the part tied to that loan stays tied up. What is left usually still buys a home with $0 down, as the first example shows.
What about loans of $144,000 or less?
The VA uses different rules for smaller loans. Use the entitlement charged from your COE in that case, and confirm with your lender.
More on how VA assumptions work for sellers and buyers: VA assumable loans.