Making the Most of Veterans Burial Benefits
Veterans Burial Benefits
For those who have served our country, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides valuable burial benefits to help veterans and their family members cover the costs of funerals and burials. Here is an overview of veterans’ burial benefits, including who is eligible and how to access veterans burial benefits.
Veterans Burial Allowances
The VA offers several different allowances to help offset burial costs for eligible veterans. The primary one is the Veterans Service-Connected Burial Allowance. If the veteran’s death was service connected, there is no cost for the veteran to be buried in a VA national cemetery. The VA will provide the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate at no charge.
For deaths not related to service, veterans are still entitled to burial benefits including a $300 burial and funeral expense allowance. If the veteran was hospitalized at a VA facility at the time of death, some or all costs for transport may be reimbursed.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, the veteran must have been discharged or released from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable. This includes veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces as well as members of the National Guard and Reserves who met minimum service requirements.
Eligible Beneficiaries
In addition to the veteran themselves, certain members of their family may also qualify for VA burial benefits such as a gravesite in a national cemetery, ongoing grave care, and government-furnished headstone. Eligible beneficiaries typically include:
- Spouses and minor children of eligible veterans
- Unmarried adult children who became permanently incapable of self-support before age 21 due to a disability
- Certain unmarried surviving spouses of record whose benefits have not been terminated due to remarriage
There are also certain minimum active-duty service requirements for beneficiaries other than the veteran and spouse.
Burial in a VA National Cemetery
One of the most valuable benefits is eligibility for burial at VA national cemeteries, which are held to the highest standards of care and beauty. Not only is the gravesite itself provided at no cost, but the VA cemetery staff opens and closes the grave, places a government headstone/marker, and provides perpetual care for the gravesite.
In many cases, burial benefits extend to the veteran’s spouse and eligible dependents as well, allowing families to be together at these serene final resting places. With over 150 VA national cemeteries across the country, chances are good that there is one located conveniently nearby.
Other Memorial Options
For veterans who choose cremation, the VA provides a niche in a columbarium (above-ground structure for storing cremains) at no cost to eligible families. Cremains can also be scattered in designated areas within VA national cemeteries.
Veterans who were discharged from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable may also request a memorial marker to mark a private gravesite, provided the family agrees to place it in a federally approved location, usually a cemetery.
Maximizing Your Benefits
To ensure you receive your full benefits, it is important to work closely with a VA-approved funeral provider that understands the process of verifying eligibility and filing the required paperwork. Many VSOs (Veterans Service Organizations) also help in this area.
Do not let these valuable benefits go to waste – our nation’s veterans and their families have certainly earned them. With some advanced planning and paperwork, you can ease the burden of burial costs and properly honor your service.
Honor the life of your loved one with the services available at AAA Cremation & Burial. Call Us.
