Can A Surviving Spouse Get A VA Loan

We are often asked, can a surviving spouse get a VA loan. The answer is yes. This is because the Department of veterans affairs allows the extension of the VA home loan benefit to surviving military spouses.

The VA home loan benefit program is designed to help surviving spouses of veterans and military service members who died while in service or from a service-connected disability.

You may be eligible for this benefit if your spouse died during active duty or due to a service-related disability.

Surviving Spouse Eligibility Requirements

For a surviving spouse to become eligible for a VA loan one must meet at least one of the following eligibility requirements:

• You are eligible if you are the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran who is missing in action or who was a prisoner of war (POW).
• If you are the surviving spouse of a veteran or military member, who died during active service or from a service-related disability and didn’t remarry before December 16, 2003, or before age 57.

You may also be entitled to surviving spouse benefits if the veteran’s death did not result from a service-related cause. Listed below are the conditions for eligibility.

• The Veteran was totally disabled for ten or more years directly before death.
• A Veteran rated totally disabled for five or more years after immediate separation from service.
• As a former prisoner of war, the veteran was totally disabled for at least one year preceding death after September 30, 1999.

Certificate Of Eligibility (COE) For Surviving Spouse

Your eligibility for a VA loan requires proof to verify your status as a surviving spouse. Before applying for VA-guaranteed mortgages, you must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE).

For a military spouse to qualify, you must submit a copy of the Veteran’s DD214. For more information about any compensation you receive, call one of our VA loan experts at 800-720-0250.

You can apply for your eligibility online with the VA or save time by having HomePromise obtain it for you.  Call 800-720-0250 for more help.

VA Loan Benefits For Surviving Spouses

As a surviving spouse, you are entitled to use your VA home loan more than once. Once you purchase a home you may have remaining eligibility to purchase a new home. Many think you can’t use your benefit a second time but often you can. 

The rules and calculations for using your benefits again are complicated. You can call our VA home loan experts for help at 800-720-0250.

There are many benefits to using the VA home loan program that is extended to surviving spouses:

• Do not need to pay a funding fee
• Competitive interest rates
• Less rigid credit score requirements
• No down payments for most loans
• 100% cash-out refinancing
• No mortgage monthly insurance