Veteran Programs · Benefits & Discounts DirectoryPrivate information service — not a government agency
Housing Assistance
Cash Out Equity Assistance Program
This is a lending program, not a grant. It lets Veteran homeowners turn part of the equity they already built into cash they can use — through options backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and created specifically for people who served.
Eligibility Check3 questions · no cost
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Are you receiving any disability, SSI, SSDI?
You Will Need Your DD-214
Your DD-214 is the discharge document that proves your service, and you will be asked for it to obtain any Veteran benefit. If you cannot find yours, you can request a free copy from the National Archives.
Request My DD-214 from the National Archives →← Go back and restartCongratulations!You're Eligible to Cash Out Up To $185,000.Enter your information below to send your free application.No obligation.
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This is a loan secured against your home, and the rate and terms are set by the lender you choose.
Who may qualify
Veterans; surviving spouses in some cases
Must own the home
Yes — with equity built up in it
Document needed
DD-214 and a Certificate of Eligibility
No cost to review your options
01
Overview
This record covers the cash-out options available to Veteran homeowners, including loans backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and issued through approved private lenders. A VA-backed loan needs a Certificate of Eligibility, which most lenders can pull for you in minutes once they have your service details.
An older couple going over their home paperwork together at the kitchen table
02
What Veterans Use Their Equity For
The money is yours to direct. Veterans most often use it for:
- Paying off credit cards and other high-interest debt
- Home repairs that keep getting pushed to next year
- Medical bills for you or your spouse
- Helping a child or grandchild with school
- Building a cushion so one bad month does not turn into a bad year
03
Eligibility Requirements
Lenders look at your home, your service, and your income. The basics:
- You served with an Honorable or General Discharge, and you have your DD-214
- You own your home and have built up equity in it
- For a VA-backed loan option you will need a Certificate of Eligibility, which the lender can pull for you
- The home is your main residence
- You have steady income, and the lender reviews your credit
- Surviving spouses may be eligible for VA loan benefits in some cases
Veterans have access to loan options backed by the VA through approved lenders. Those options were created for people who served — but nobody hands them to you. You have to ask.
04
Official VA Programs
The loan behind this record is the official VA-backed cash-out refinance. The facts, straight from the source:
What the loan actually isIt replaces your current mortgage with a new VA-backed loan and gives you the difference in cash. The home must be your primary residence, and the lender — a private bank, mortgage company, or credit union, not the VA itself — reviews your credit and income.Certificate of EligibilityRequired. You can apply online, by mail, or let the lender pull it — most can do it while you are on the phone. Expect to show recent pay stubs, two years of W-2s, and prior tax returns.The funding feeA one-time VA charge, usually rolled into the loan. It is waived entirely if you receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability. There is no private mortgage insurance on a VA-backed loan, ever.The VA's own warningThe VA publicly tells Veterans to compare offers and walk away from misleading refinance pitches promising unrealistic terms. Any lender who will not put the numbers in writing is not your lender.
Questions
Questions Veterans Ask First
What is equity, in plain words?It is what your home is worth today minus what you still owe on it. That difference is the part you own.Is this a second loan?A cash-out refinance replaces your current mortgage with a new one and gives you the difference in cash. Other options sit on top of your mortgage. A licensed lender walks you through both.What is a Certificate of Eligibility?It proves to the lender that your service qualifies you for a VA-backed loan. Most lenders can request it for you in minutes.Do I have to take the money?No. Looking at your options costs nothing and puts you under no obligation. Nothing is final until you sign.
Related
Other Records in This Directory
Housing AssistanceHome Windows Assistance ProgramSwap drafty, single-pane windows for new energy-saving ones — and make the whole house easier to heat and cool.Open Record →
Housing AssistanceBathroom Remodel Assistance ProgramMake the bathroom safe again — walk-in showers, grab bars, and non-slip floors built for getting older at home.Open Record →
Housing AssistanceRoofing Assistance ProgramFix the leak or replace the roof before the damage moves inside the walls and gets expensive.Open Record →
Ready to check the Cash Out Equity Assistance Program?
Free to look. No obligation, and nothing to sign today.
