Need to check VA residual income before you apply?
Use this calculator to estimate the money left after your proposed VA mortgage payment, debts, taxes, insurance, and the VA living expense allowance. It is built for the part of VA underwriting that most basic payment calculators skip.
- VA purchase scores as low as 500
- Licensed in all 50 states
- PBT Bancorp NMLS #257781
Need more information?
Speak with a VA loan specialist about your loan options.
No credit pull, no obligation. We can usually tell you the next step in a few minutes.
Speak with a VA loan specialist about your loan options.
Send your name, email, and phone. A VA loan specialist will call you back and point you in the right direction. No credit pull.
What should we help you check?
Thanks. We will call you back shortly.
Prefer not to wait? Call 800-697-4371 or text us at (800) 697-4371.
What does VA residual income mean?
Residual income is the money left in your budget after the lender subtracts your housing payment, monthly debts, job-related expenses, taxes, payroll deductions, and a basic living expense allowance. The VA uses it because two families can have the same debt ratio but very different room left in the budget.
That is why residual income matters so much on VA loans. A Veteran with strong residual income can sometimes have a file that works even when a basic debt ratio looks tight.
How the calculator estimates your number
The calculator follows the same structure lenders use on VA Form 26-6393. It starts with monthly income, estimates federal tax, state tax, and payroll deductions from taxable income, adds non-taxable income such as BAH, BAS, and VA disability at the actual monthly amount, subtracts debts and proposed housing expense, then compares what is left to the VA residual income table.
Income
Start with taxable gross monthly income, then add BAH, BAS, VA disability, and other verified non-taxable income separately. The calculator shows grossed-up qualifying income for DTI, but residual income uses actual monthly cash.
Deductions
Estimate federal tax, state tax, Social Security, Medicare, retirement, and other payroll deductions. The estimate is editable because real withholding can differ.
Debts
Subtract recurring monthly debts and job-related expenses that stay with you after closing.
Housing
Subtract principal and interest, property taxes, insurance, HOA dues, assessments, and the VA maintenance and utilities estimate.
Guideline source. This calculator follows the VA Loan Analysis form and the VA Lenders Handbook. VA rules can change, so we review the file before you rely on the estimate. Last updated June 28, 2026.
VA residual income chart
The guideline depends on loan amount, family size, and region. Loans below $80,000 use one table. Loans of $80,000 or more use the higher table below.
| Family size | Northeast | Midwest | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $390 | $382 | $382 | $425 |
| 2 | $654 | $641 | $641 | $713 |
| 3 | $788 | $772 | $772 | $859 |
| 4 | $888 | $868 | $868 | $976 |
| 5 | $921 | $902 | $902 | $1,004 |
| Family size | Northeast | Midwest | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $450 | $441 | $441 | $491 |
| 2 | $755 | $738 | $738 | $823 |
| 3 | $909 | $889 | $889 | $990 |
| 4 | $1,025 | $1,003 | $1,003 | $1,117 |
| 5 | $1,062 | $1,039 | $1,039 | $1,158 |
For families larger than five, VA adds $80 per additional family member up to seven.
- Northeast includes CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, and VT
- Midwest includes IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, and WI
- South includes AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, OK, PR, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV
- West includes AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, and WY
What if your residual income is short?
A short estimate does not always mean the file cannot work, but it does mean the file needs attention before you count on an approval. These are the places we usually look first.
Lower monthly debts
Paying down a car loan, credit card, or personal loan can improve both residual income and DTI.
Reduce the housing payment
A lower price, better rate, seller credit, or lower taxes and insurance can change the number fast.
Count verified income correctly
BAH, BAS, disability income, second jobs, and other income have to be documented correctly. Non-taxable income may help DTI when grossed up, but residual income still uses the actual cash received.
Shop the file correctly
We work with more than 35 wholesale lenders, so we can match the file to the lender most likely to understand it.
VA residual income questions
What is residual income on a VA loan?
Residual income is the money left after the lender accounts for your proposed housing payment, debts, taxes, payroll deductions, and basic living expense allowance.
How much residual income do I need for a VA loan?
It depends on your loan amount, family size, and region. A family of four buying with a loan of $80,000 or more needs $1,003 in the South and Midwest, $1,025 in the Northeast, and $1,117 in the West.
Does VA residual income use gross or net income?
VA residual income starts with gross monthly income, then subtracts taxes, payroll deductions, debts, job-related expenses, housing expense, and the VA maintenance and utilities estimate. That is why the final residual income number is closer to money left over than a simple gross income calculation.
Does BAH or BAS count toward VA residual income?
Yes, BAH and BAS can count when they are documented correctly. For residual income, we use the actual monthly cash received. Non-taxable income may be grossed up for qualifying income and DTI, but residual income still uses the actual monthly amount.
Does VA residual income replace DTI?
No, lenders still review DTI, credit, assets, and the full file, but residual income is one of the biggest VA underwriting items because it measures money left after the bills.
Why does family size matter?
A larger household usually needs more money left over for food, utilities, transportation, and normal monthly expenses, so the VA table increases by family size.
What happens if I am short on residual income?
We look at the whole file and see what can be adjusted. Lower debts, a lower housing payment, more verified income, or a different lender can sometimes fix the issue.
Is this calculator an approval?
No, this calculator is an estimate. A real approval depends on your credit, income documentation, assets, property, and the lender that reviews the file.
Want us to check your real residual income?
Send us your numbers and we will review the full file, not just one calculator result. Call 800-697-4371 or start online and a PBT Bancorp VA loan specialist will tell you where you stand.