Mortgage servicers have until Nov. 28, 2026 to add the VA Partial Claim Program to their systems, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The program, which opened June 15, 2026, lets VA work with a servicer to pay a veteran's missed mortgage payments after a three-month trial plan, with the amount repaid when the home is sold or the loan is paid off. Meanwhile, VA funding fees for purchases and refinances remain at the rates in effect since April 2023.
What the VA Partial Claim Program does
VA describes the partial claim as an option that "lets us work with your servicer to pay your missed mortgage payments and bring your loan current," according to its page for borrowers having trouble making payments. Borrowers must complete a trial plan showing they can make on-time payments for three straight months.
The amount VA advances is not added as a new monthly payment. VA says borrowers repay the partial claim when they pay off the loan or sell the home. The National Association of REALTORS' summary adds that the advance is also repaid if the loan is refinanced, and that it is designed to cure a delinquency without raising the monthly payment.
Key dates: June 15 launch, Nov. 28 servicer deadline
Congress reauthorized partial claims for VA-guaranteed loans in July 2025, as Ballard Spahr's Consumer Finance Monitor reported. VA then opened the program for submissions on June 15, 2026.
Servicers were allowed to begin using it right away but have until Nov. 28, 2026 to fully build it into their systems. That means availability may have varied by servicer during the rollout. Borrowers apply through their servicer, not directly with VA. VA notes that a borrower must work with the servicer to begin the program, so the first step for a struggling homeowner is usually a call to the company that collects the monthly payment.
Part of a broader loss mitigation framework
According to NAR, the partial claim is part of a new, permanent VA loss mitigation framework that uses a structured "waterfall" of options. VA's borrower page lists several tools besides the partial claim:
- Special forbearance, which gives extra time to repay missed payments.
- A repayment plan that adds an extra amount to regular payments.
- A traditional loan modification, plus 30-year and 40-year modification options.
- Alternatives to foreclosure such as extra time for a private sale, a short sale or a deed in lieu, which VA warns could reduce future home loan benefits.
Funding fees and loan limits for 2026
VA's funding fee chart, effective April 7, 2023, still applies. For purchase loans, first-time use costs 2.15% with less than 5% down, 1.5% with 5% or more down and 1.25% with 10% or more down; subsequent use with less than 5% down costs 3.3%. IRRRL refinances carry a 0.5% fee. Veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability are exempt, as are surviving spouses receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and active-duty service members who provide evidence of a Purple Heart on or before closing, among others. Borrowers may get a refund if later awarded compensation retroactive to before closing.
Veterans with full entitlement have no VA loan limit. For those with remaining entitlement, the county conforming limit matters; FHFA set the 2026 baseline at $832,750 for one-unit homes in most of the country.
What this means for Texas borrowers
If you have a VA loan and have fallen behind, contact your servicer early and ask whether a trial plan leading to a partial claim, or another option, may fit your situation. VA also offers help from VA loan technicians by phone. Outcomes depend on your circumstances and servicer review.
If you are a Texas veteran planning to buy or refinance, review our VA loan guide, compare refinance options including the IRRRL, and estimate payments with our rate calculator. First-time buyers can also explore Texas down payment assistance, and a loan officer can help confirm your entitlement and funding fee status.
Sources
- If you're having trouble making VA home loan payments, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (September 23, 2026)
- VA Launches New Partial Claim Program and Streamlined Loss Mitigation Framework, National Association of REALTORS (June 23, 2026)
- VA Announces Launch of New Partial Claim Program to Help Protect Veterans from Foreclosure with VA Home Loans, Ballard Spahr Consumer Finance Monitor (June 2, 2026)
- VA funding fee and loan closing costs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (April 7, 2023)
- FHFA Announces Conforming Loan Limit Values for 2026, Federal Housing Finance Agency (November 25, 2025)
This article is for general information about the mortgage market and is not financial, legal or tax advice. Figures come from the sources listed and may have changed since publication. Rates and averages cited are published market data, not an offer or HomyLoan rates. HomyLoan, LLC is a licensed mortgage broker, Company NMLS 2783307, not a lender. All loans are subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Equal Housing Opportunity.
