VA Burial Benefits: What Veterans and Families Should Know

A short overview of VA burial benefits: burial in a national cemetery, memorial items, money toward funeral and burial costs, planning ahead, and where to start.

VA burial benefits come in two groups. One is burial and memorial items from VA: a gravesite in a national cemetery, a headstone or marker, a burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate. The other is money toward the cost of a veteran's funeral, burial, plot and transportation, called burial allowances. This is a short overview; the full rules are in two guides: national cemetery burial, headstones and memorial items and VA burial allowances.

Burial in a national cemetery

VA.gov lists these at no cost to the family: a gravesite in any national cemetery with available space, opening and closing of the grave, a government burial liner, a government headstone or marker, and perpetual care of the gravesite. Veterans, service members and Reservists also qualify for a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and military funeral honors from the Defense Department.

VA.gov says a veteran must not have received a dishonorable discharge. A person who died in active service is also eligible, and so are a spouse or surviving spouse, including one who remarried, and certain unmarried children. The national cemetery guide lists the other groups who qualify and those VA.gov says do not.

Burial in a private cemetery

For a veteran buried in a private cemetery, VA.gov says the veteran may get a government headstone or marker, or a medallion to attach to a private headstone, plus a burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate, but not a plaque or urn. VA delivers a headstone or marker but does not pay to install it. Each item has its own form, listed in the national cemetery guide.

Money toward costs: burial allowances

The rules list five burial benefits: an allowance for a service-connected death, an allowance for a non-service-connected death, an allowance for a veteran who died while hospitalized by VA, a plot or interment allowance, and reimbursement for transporting the remains. "Burial" includes cremation, burial at sea and donation to a medical school.

VA.gov says it does not pay burial allowances for a death on active duty, while serving as a member of Congress, or while serving a federal prison sentence.

VA.gov lists up to $2,000 for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001; for a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, it lists a $1,032 burial allowance and $1,032 for a plot. The burial allowance guide has the rest, including transportation, who can be paid, and where VA.gov lists amounts for earlier dates of death.

VA may pay a set burial benefit automatically to an eligible surviving spouse when it learns of the death, and VA.gov says a surviving spouse listed on the veteran's VA profile does not need to file for that amount. Other benefits, such as the plot allowance or transportation, can still be claimed.

The rules set one main deadline: VA must receive a claim for the non-service-connected burial allowance within two years after the burial.

Planning ahead

VA.gov offers a pre-need determination of eligibility for burial in a national cemetery, applied for online or on VA Form 40-10007. It confirms eligibility in advance. It does not reserve a cemetery or gravesite, and it can't be used once the person has died. For Arlington National Cemetery or the Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery, VA.gov says to contact Arlington directly. For a state, territory or tribal veterans cemetery, contact that cemetery about its own pre-need program.

It also helps to keep the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers where family can find them. VA.gov says checking eligibility at the time of need may take several days without them.

When the time comes

To schedule a burial in a national cemetery, you or the funeral director call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (TTY: 711), according to VA.gov. To claim a burial allowance, apply online or by mail on VA Form 21P-530EZ, Application for Burial Benefits.

What to do next

Planning ahead: apply for a pre-need determination and tell the family where the discharge papers are. After a death: schedule the burial, then check the burial allowance guide for which allowances apply and the national cemetery guide for headstones, markers, flags and certificates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is burial in a national cemetery free?

VA.gov lists the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a burial liner, a government headstone or marker, and perpetual care at no cost to the family. Funeral home charges are separate; VA burial allowances can help with some of those costs.

Can my spouse be buried in a national cemetery?

Yes. The spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible veteran is eligible, including a surviving spouse who later remarried. VA.gov says a former spouse whose marriage to the veteran ended in divorce or annulment is not eligible, unless they are a veteran themselves.

Do I have to file if I am the surviving spouse?

Maybe not. VA may pay a burial benefit automatically to an eligible surviving spouse, and VA.gov says a spouse listed on the veteran's VA profile does not need to file for that amount. You can still claim additional benefits, such as the plot allowance, transportation or the service-connected allowance.

Is there a deadline to file?

Only for the non-service-connected burial allowance, which must be claimed within two years after the burial. VA.gov lists no time limit for a service-connected death, a death in VA care, or the plot and transportation allowances.

Where do I find the current allowance amounts?

Our VA burial allowances guide lists VA.gov's current amounts. The non-service-connected amounts are adjusted each fiscal year, and VA.gov keeps a table for earlier dates of death, so check the amount for the date the veteran died.