VA Burial Benefits: Plan The Cemetery, Memorial And Cost Requests

Separate The Decisions Before Making Arrangements

VA burial assistance includes several processes: eligibility for a national cemetery, memorial items honoring a veteran, and allowances that may help with expenses. Decide which services you are requesting before treating an approval in one program as an answer about all the costs.

Veterans, certain service members and qualifying family members may be eligible for national-cemetery burial. Service, discharge and relationship rules apply. A funeral director can help coordinate arrangements, but VA determines eligibility. Put the relevant service documents and family information in one accessible place.

Sources: VA Burial Benefits And Memorial Items · Eligibility For Burial In A VA National Cemetery

Use Pre-Need Review When Planning In Advance

A pre-need determination lets VA review national-cemetery eligibility before a death. Apply with VA Form 40-10007 or the online process, and keep the resulting letter where the person handling arrangements can find it. A separate application is needed for each family member.

Approval does not reserve a particular cemetery or gravesite. Availability and eligibility can be reviewed at the time of need. Arlington and state, territorial or tribal veterans cemeteries have their own contact processes, so confirm the appropriate office instead of assuming one application reserves every type of cemetery.

Sources: Pre-Need Eligibility For Burial In A VA Cemetery · Schedule A Burial For A Veteran Or Family Member

Gather What Is Needed At The Time Of Death

When the person has already died, use the burial-scheduling process instead of submitting a pre-need application. You or the funeral director can contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office. Have any pre-need letter ready, along with the veteran's discharge records and information about the deceased and next of kin.

Discuss the preferred cemetery, casket or cremation arrangements, memorial inscription and requested honors. If discharge records are missing, ask the scheduling office for help rather than abandoning the request. Verification can take additional time, so avoid treating an unconfirmed preference as a scheduled service.

Sources: Schedule A Burial For A Veteran Or Family Member

Ask About Costs At A Private Cemetery

An eligible veteran buried privately may still qualify for a government headstone, marker or medallion, as well as certain other memorial items. The cemetery may charge to place or maintain an item even when VA supplies it without charge. Ask for those costs before choosing the memorial.

Family eligibility differs here: a spouse or dependent buried privately does not receive an individual government headstone, marker or medallion through this benefit. Certain inscriptions on an eligible veteran's marker may be available under separate rules. Confirm the proposed inscription and installation arrangements with the cemetery and the current VA instructions.

Sources: Burial In A Private Cemetery

Check The Allowance And Its Filing Deadline

A burial allowance helps with qualifying expenses; it is not a promise that VA will pay the entire funeral bill. Eligibility depends on the veteran's circumstances and the applicant's connection to the expense. VA also checks whether another organization will reimburse those costs. Keep the death certificate, service documents and itemized transportation receipts when applicable.

An ordinary non-service-connected burial-allowance claim generally must be filed within two years after burial. Exceptions include qualifying deaths under VA care, and different rules apply to plot, interment and transportation allowances. Service-connected burial and transportation claims have no filing time limit. Check the category before relying on a general deadline.

Sources: Veterans Burial Allowance And Transportation Benefits

Understand The Urn Or Plaque Election

VA offers a commemorative urn or plaque for qualifying veterans whose cremated remains have not been interred. Choosing this benefit has a lasting consequence: VA cannot later inter those remains in a national cemetery or provide a government headstone, marker or medallion. The National Cemetery Administration says the choice cannot be undone.

Discuss that election with the family before applying. Write down which arrangements you want, which decisions VA has confirmed and which costs remain. Keeping the cemetery decision, memorial request and expense claim in separate labeled sections helps the person managing the paperwork follow each process.

Sources: Commemorative Urn and Plaque - National Cemetery Administration

Common Questions