VA Burial Benefits: What Veterans and Families Need to Know

The VA provides burial benefits that can save veteran families thousands of dollars. Here's what's available and how to qualify.

What the VA Provides

The Department of Veterans Affairs offers three categories of burial benefits to eligible veterans and their families:

Burial allowance - A monetary benefit to help cover funeral, burial, and transportation costs
National cemetery burial - Free burial in any of 155+ VA national cemeteries
Headstone or marker - Provided at no cost for any eligible veteran, regardless of where they're buried

Who Qualifies

Generally, the following are eligible for VA burial benefits:

Veterans who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable
Service members who died while on active duty
Spouses and dependent children of eligible veterans (for national cemetery burial)
Some Reserve and National Guard members with qualifying service

Important: A dishonorable discharge disqualifies a veteran from all VA burial benefits. Other-than-honorable discharge may still qualify depending on the character-of-discharge determination.

Burial Allowance Amounts

Service-Connected Death

If the veteran died from a service-connected disability or while receiving VA care:

Up to $2,000 for burial and funeral expenses
If buried in a VA national cemetery, some or all costs of transporting the remains may also be reimbursed

Non-Service-Connected Death

If the veteran did not die from a service-connected condition:

Up to $832 for burial and funeral (2024 rate, adjusted annually)
Up to $832 for plot or interment allowance (if not buried in a national cemetery)
The veteran must have been receiving VA pension/compensation at time of death, OR died in a VA facility, OR died while traveling for VA-approved care

Unclaimed Remains

If the veteran's remains are unclaimed, the VA will pay the full cost of burial in a national cemetery.

National Cemetery Benefits

Burial in a VA national cemetery includes the following at no cost to the family:

Benefit	What's Included	Private Cemetery Cost
Gravesite	Free in any VA national cemetery	$1,000-$5,000
Opening/closing grave	Included	$500-$1,500
Headstone or marker	Government-furnished, inscribed	$500-$4,000
Burial liner/vault	Provided in some cemeteries	$1,000-$3,000
Perpetual care	Included forever	$200-$1,000+ one-time
Presidential Memorial Certificate	Provided to family	N/A
Burial flag	U.S. flag for draping casket	N/A

Potential savings: $3,200-$14,500 compared to a private cemetery with equivalent services.

Headstones and Markers

The VA provides headstones or markers at no cost for:

Any deceased veteran with a discharge other than dishonorable
Burial in any cemetery - national, state, or private
Eligible spouses and dependents buried in a national or state veterans cemetery

Options include flat bronze, flat granite, flat marble, upright granite, and upright marble markers. The VA handles manufacturing and shipping; the family or cemetery handles installation (usually $100-$300 at a private cemetery).

What the VA Does NOT Cover

Even with VA benefits, the family typically pays for:

Funeral home services - The basic services fee, embalming, ceremony ($2,500-$4,000+)
Casket or urn - ($1,000-$10,000 for caskets, $100-$500 for urns)
Flowers and obituary - ($400-$1,800)
Transportation - Hearse, family cars, travel ($700-$1,500)
Memorial reception - Venue, food, beverages ($500-$2,000+)

Even with full VA benefits, families should expect to pay $4,000-$8,000+ out of pocket for the services and items the VA does not cover.

How to Apply

Pre-Need (Before Death)

Veterans can establish eligibility in advance by submitting VA Form 40-10007 (Application for Pre-Need Determination of Eligibility for Burial in a VA National Cemetery).

Submit by mail, fax, or through a funeral home
No cost to apply
Provides peace of mind and speeds up the process at time of need
Does not obligate you to use a national cemetery

At Time of Need

Contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office: 1-800-535-1117 (available 7 days a week)
Have the veteran's DD Form 214 (discharge papers) available
The funeral home can coordinate directly with the VA on your behalf

Burial Allowance Reimbursement

To claim the burial allowance after a veteran's death, submit VA Form 21P-530 (Application for Burial Benefits). Include:

Death certificate
DD Form 214 or equivalent
Funeral home invoices

Apply within 2 years of the veteran's burial. Claims can be submitted online at va.gov, by mail, or through a Veterans Service Organization (VSO).

National Cemetery vs Private Cemetery

Factor	National Cemetery	Private Cemetery
Cost	Free (plot, opening/closing, marker, care)	$3,000-$10,000+
Spouse burial	Same gravesite, no additional cost	Second plot required ($1,000-$5,000)
Location choice	155+ cemeteries, not all areas covered	Choose any cemetery
Visitation hours	Set hours, may be limited	Often more flexible
Decoration policy	Strict - flags and small items only	Usually more flexible
Wait times	Some cemeteries have 1-2 week waits	Usually 2-5 business days
Personalization	Standard markers and inscriptions	Full choice of markers and design

See What Your Remaining Costs Might Be

Even with VA benefits, families face significant costs. Get a personalized estimate for the expenses the VA doesn't cover.

Calculate Remaining Costs