Your Debt-to-Income Ratio Is Over 41%? Why Your VA Loan May Still Approve — the Residual Income Test Explained

Your Debt-to-Income Ratio Is Over 41%? Why Your VA Loan May Still Approve — the Residual Income Test Explained

Douglas Wilkerson
Published on: 01/11/2026

VA loans use a second affordability test most borrowers never hear about: residual income. Here is the South-region table, the 20% rule, and the math.

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