When a veteran dies
Before paying for anything, make one call: the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117. Free burial benefits are earned, not charity, and they can bring the cost of a dignified burial down to nearly nothing.
VA burial allowance
Survivors of eligible veterans. Higher amounts apply when the death was connected to military service.
Up to $2,000 for a service-connected death. Lower set amounts apply for non-service-connected deaths, plus a plot allowance when the veteran is not buried in a national cemetery. Amounts adjust annually. Check the VA page for current figures.
File VA Form 21P-530EZ online at va.gov, by mail, or with help from a Veterans Service Officer (free). There is no time limit to file for a service-connected burial allowance.
Official VA pageFree burial in a VA national cemetery
Most veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, plus spouses and dependent children in many cases.
The gravesite, opening and closing, perpetual care, headstone or marker, burial flag, and Presidential Memorial Certificate are provided at no cost. The family still pays the funeral home for preparation and transport.
The funeral home can call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117, or the family can call directly. Pre-need eligibility decisions are also available at va.gov.
Official VA pageFrom our free tools
Veteran benefits, explained in plain English
Disability claims, secondary conditions, and the benefits most veterans and families never hear about.
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County Veterans Service Officers file burial allowance and DIC claims for free. Never pay anyone a percentage of VA benefits. Find your VSO through your county veterans office or by dialing 211.
Full guide: VA burial allowance, explained