VA Burial Benefits: What Veterans' Families Are Entitled To

Who Qualifies for VA Burial Benefits

VA burial benefits actually cover two different things with two different eligibility standards, and mixing them up causes a lot of confusion.

Burial in a national cemetery has a fairly broad standard: any veteran discharged under conditions other than dishonorable generally qualifies, regardless of whether their death was service-connected. Eligible spouses and dependent children can also be buried in the same gravesite, even if they die before the veteran does.

The cash burial allowance has a narrower standard. You must be paying the costs yourself (not reimbursed by another source), be the veteran's surviving spouse, surviving partner from a legal union, surviving child, parent, or the executor or administrator of the estate, and the veteran's death must meet one of these conditions:

• Died as a result of a service-connected disability
• Died while receiving VA care, at a VA facility or a VA-contracted facility
• Died while traveling, at VA's expense, to or from an examination
• Had a pending or approved claim for VA compensation or pension at the time of death
• Was receiving, or was eligible to receive, VA pension or compensation at death
• Had chosen full military retirement pay instead of VA compensation

Veterans who died on active duty, while serving as a member of Congress, or while serving a federal prison sentence are not covered by these VA burial benefits — active-duty deaths go through a separate Department of Defense process instead.

The VA Burial Allowance: How Much You Can Get

The dollar amounts depend on whether the death was service-connected, and the non-service-connected rate adjusts most years on October 1.

These figures rise almost every October 1 — for context, the non-service-connected rate was $978 for deaths between October 2024 and September 2025, and has climbed steadily from $300 a decade ago. If you're reading this well after 2026, confirm the current rate directly with VA rather than relying on this table.

VA may also reimburse some or all of the cost of transporting the veteran's remains, particularly if they died while hospitalized by VA or while traveling to VA-authorized care.

Free Burial in a National Cemetery

This is often the most valuable benefit and the least understood. For an eligible veteran buried in any of the VA's national cemeteries, the following are provided entirely free:

• A gravesite, in any national cemetery with space available
• Opening and closing of the grave
• A government headstone, marker, or medallion
• Perpetual care of the gravesite
• A burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate

Eligible spouses and dependent children can be buried in the same gravesite at no cost — their name and dates are inscribed on the veteran's headstone at no charge, and this applies even if the spouse or child dies first and the veteran is buried later.

What isn't covered: the funeral home's own services (preparation, transportation to the cemetery, the service itself), and any optional items the family chooses. National cemetery burial eliminates the cemetery and grave-opening costs — often a significant share of total funeral expenses — but it isn't the entire cost of a funeral. See our average funeral cost guide for how the pieces typically add up.

To schedule a burial, the funeral director (or the family directly) contacts the National Cemetery Scheduling Office. It's worth calling as soon as possible after the death, since some national cemeteries have limited space and scheduling can take a few days.

Burial Flag and Presidential Memorial Certificate

A burial flag — a U.S. flag to drape the casket or accompany the urn — is provided at no cost to the next of kin of any veteran who served honorably. Funeral homes typically request it on the family's behalf using VA Form 27-2008; it can also be picked up in person at a VA regional office or, in some cases, a post office. After the service, the flag is usually given to the next of kin to keep.

A Presidential Memorial Certificate is a gold-embossed paper certificate, signed by the sitting President, honoring the veteran's service. It's provided automatically in most cases when a burial allowance or national cemetery burial is processed, but next of kin can also request one directly from VA if it wasn't received.

Headstones and Markers

How a headstone is handled depends entirely on where the veteran is buried.

Buried in a national cemetery: the government headstone, marker, or medallion is provided and installed at no cost — this is separate from, and in addition to, the cash burial allowance.

Buried in a private cemetery: the family can either request a government-furnished headstone or marker at no cost (which VA ships to the cemetery), or purchase a private headstone and apply for a smaller headstone or marker allowance to offset the cost — currently a modest amount, well under the cost of most private headstones, and only available for deaths on or after specific VA-set dates. This allowance is separate from, and in addition to, the burial and plot allowances above.

Military Funeral Honors

Military funeral honors are commonly confused with VA burial benefits, but they come from the Department of Defense, not the VA. By law, any veteran with an honorable or general discharge is entitled to funeral honors upon the family's request, consisting of, at minimum:

• A detail of at least two uniformed service members
• The ceremonial folding and ceremonial presentation of the American flag to the next of kin
• The playing of Taps, live if a bugler is available, or by recording if not

Funeral honors are free and are typically arranged through the funeral home, which contacts the relevant branch of service. Additional elements — a rifle volley, a larger honor guard, specific branch traditions — may be available depending on the veteran's rank, unit, and local resources, but aren't guaranteed by law the way the minimum honors are.

State Veterans Cemeteries

Most states operate their own veterans cemeteries as an alternative to VA national cemeteries. They typically offer the same core benefits — free gravesite, opening and closing, and perpetual care for eligible veterans — sometimes with different residency requirements or nominal fees for spouses and dependents that don't apply at national cemeteries. State cemeteries can be a practical choice when the nearest national cemetery is far away or has no space available. Check your state guide or contact your state's veterans affairs department for what's available locally.

How to Apply

1. Confirm whether you even need to file. If you're the surviving spouse and you're listed as such in the veteran's VA records, the plot and interment allowance is often paid automatically once VA is notified of the death — no separate application required. Confirm this with VA directly; automatic payment depends on your information being current.
2. Gather documents: the veteran's discharge papers (DD214 or equivalent), a certified death certificate, and an itemized statement of funeral costs from the funeral home or cemetery, showing the veteran's name, services provided, any credits, and the balance due.
3. File VA Form 21P-530EZ. Apply online through VA.gov, or download the form and mail it with copies of your documents to your nearest VA regional office.
4. Watch the deadline. Non-service-connected claims must be filed within 2 years of the burial. There is no deadline for a service-connected burial, plot, or interment allowance claim.

If you have questions at any point, VA's burial benefits line is 1-800-827-1000, staffed Monday through Friday.

Common Mistakes

Assuming free national cemetery burial requires a service-connected death

It doesn't. Any veteran without a dishonorable discharge generally qualifies for national cemetery burial, regardless of cause of death. The service-connected requirement applies to the higher $2,000 cash allowance, not to cemetery eligibility.

Missing the 2-year deadline

Families dealing with a non-service-connected death sometimes don't learn about the burial allowance until well after the 2-year window has closed. If a veteran has passed away, it's worth checking eligibility promptly rather than assuming it can be handled "later."

Not asking the funeral home about VA benefits

Most funeral homes handle veteran burials regularly and can help file paperwork, request the burial flag, and coordinate with the National Cemetery Scheduling Office — but only if they know the deceased was a veteran. Mention it explicitly when you first meet with the funeral director.

Confusing VA burial benefits with military funeral honors

These come from different agencies and are requested separately. Asking for one doesn't automatically arrange the other — request both explicitly if you want both.

Frequently Asked Questions