VA burial and memorial benefits: what the VA provides

If you are here because someone you love has passed, we are sorry. This page is meant to make one hard thing a little simpler. If you are a veteran reading this ahead of time, you are doing your family a real kindness by looking now, when there is no clock running.

The VA and the National Cemetery Administration provide a set of burial and memorial benefits for eligible veterans. Some of it is care and a place to rest. Some of it is money toward the costs. And some of it is the flag, the honors, and the record that says this person served. Let us walk through it slowly.

Burial in a VA national cemetery

An eligible veteran, meaning one who did not receive a dishonorable discharge, can be buried in one of the VA national cemeteries with space available, at no cost to the family. The benefit is more than a plot. It covers the gravesite itself, the opening and closing of the grave, and perpetual care, which simply means the cemetery keeps up the grounds for as long as they stand. It also includes a government headstone or marker and, in many cases, a small medallion for a veteran resting in a private cemetery instead.

One thing families often do not realize: a spouse and dependent children may also be eligible for burial in a national cemetery, resting with the veteran. That can be true even if the family member passes first. You can read exactly who qualifies on the VA's burial eligibility page, and see what a national cemetery burial includes on the VA burials and memorials hub.

The memorial items: headstone, flag, and certificate

Three things honor the service itself, and each is provided at no charge.

A government headstone, marker, or medallion records the veteran's name, service, and dates. The VA furnishes it whether the burial is in a national cemetery or a private one. The details, and the form to request one, are on the VA's headstones, markers, and medallions page.

A burial flag is a United States flag given to drape the casket or accompany the urn, then presented to the next of kin to keep. One flag is provided per eligible veteran. The burial flags page explains how to request it, often through a funeral home or a post office.

A Presidential Memorial Certificate is a printed certificate, signed by the sitting President, honoring the veteran's service. A family can request more than one copy so that several relatives may each have one. See the Presidential Memorial Certificate page.

Burial allowances: money toward the costs

The burial allowance is a payment the VA may make to help cover funeral, burial, and transportation costs. It is not meant to pay for everything, but it eases the bill. Who can claim it is usually a surviving spouse, a child, a parent, or whoever handled the arrangements.

The amount depends mainly on how the veteran died, and there are different rates for different situations. In plain terms, the VA pays more when the death was service-connected, meaning it resulted from a disability tied to the veteran's service, than when the death was non-service-connected. There may also be a separate plot or interment allowance, and reimbursement for transporting the veteran's remains in some cases. Rates change over time and depend on the date of death, so rather than print a number that could be out of date, we will point you to the source: the VA's burial allowance page lists the current figures and exactly who qualifies.

One gentle note that spares families a step. If the surviving spouse is already on record with the VA, the burial allowance for a non-service-connected death is often paid automatically, with nothing to file.

Military funeral honors

Military funeral honors are the ceremony at the graveside: the folding and presentation of the flag, and the playing of Taps. By law, the honors are provided by the Department of Defense, not the VA, and the detail includes at least two uniformed service members, with one from the veteran's own branch when possible. Honors are provided on request, and a funeral director usually arranges them for you. You can read how they work on the military funeral honors page.

Planning ahead: a pre-need eligibility decision

You do not have to wait for the hardest day to sort out eligibility. Through the pre-need eligibility determination program, a veteran can apply now and get a letter confirming, in advance, eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery. When the time comes, the family hands that letter to the cemetery instead of gathering records under pressure.

You apply on VA Form 40-10007, online or by mail. A word of honesty: the letter confirms eligibility, but it cannot reserve a specific gravesite or guarantee a particular cemetery will have space years later. It still removes most of the paperwork from a grieving family's shoulders, which is the whole point. Start on the pre-need eligibility page.

How to apply, and what to have ready

For a burial at the time of need, the family or funeral director calls the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117. Do not try to hold a service before calling. They will walk you through it.

Across nearly all of these benefits, the key document is the veteran's DD-214, the discharge paper that proves service and character of discharge. Have a copy if you can. If you cannot find it, say so on the call, because the cemetery office can often help verify service. A death certificate is needed for the burial allowance, and itemized funeral costs help that claim move.

You do not have to carry any of this alone. A free, VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer can help a family apply at no charge, and many funeral homes handle the flag and honors requests as part of their service.