Veterans Could Pay More to Refinance Homes Under New VA Bill: Critics Call It a 'Tax on Military Benefits'

Critics argue the real issue is who pays—Republicans want veterans to cover the costs, risking harm to military families and future veterans. (Credit: Google Gemini Image)

Veterans who use a popular government programme to cut their mortgage payments could soon pay thousands of dollars more for it, under a benefits bill in Congress that opponents have branded a tax on veterans.

The measure would nearly triple the upfront funding fee charged on a VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan, the streamlined product borrowers know as an IRRRL. The fee would rise from 0.5% to 1.42% of the loan amount, Stars and Stripes reported.