Roughly 30% of families eligible for VA burial benefits never claim them. Some don't know the benefits exist. Others assume the paperwork is only worth it for high-value claims. The truth is that most of the core benefits are automatic when a veteran is buried in a national cemetery — and the reimbursements are worth several thousand dollars.
Who qualifies
Any veteran discharged under conditions other than dishonorable is eligible. This includes reservists and National Guard members who died during active service or training. Spouses and dependent children of eligible veterans also qualify for burial in a national cemetery, at no cost, whether or not the veteran is buried there.
Burial in a VA national cemetery — what's included
- Gravesite in any national cemetery with available space
- Opening and closing of the grave
- Perpetual care of the site
- A government-furnished headstone, marker, or medallion
- A burial flag
- A Presidential Memorial Certificate signed by the sitting president
- Military funeral honors (bugler and flag folding) upon request
The three cash allowances
1. Burial allowance
For service-connected deaths (the veteran died from a condition linked to service), the VA pays up to $2,000 toward funeral expenses. For non-service-connected deaths of veterans who were receiving VA pension or compensation at the time of death, the allowance is $978 for burial and up to $978 for plot expenses in a private cemetery.
2. Plot or interment allowance
$978 for veterans buried in a private cemetery who meet the eligibility criteria. Automatic if the veteran was receiving VA pension.
3. Transportation allowance
The VA reimburses the cost of transporting a veteran's remains to a national cemetery when the death occurs in a VA facility or under VA-authorized care.
How to file — the steps that actually work
- Locate the DD-214 (discharge paperwork). Without this, nothing else moves. Copies are free from the National Archives.
- Decide on national cemetery or private cemetery burial before choosing a funeral home — this determines which forms you'll file.
- For national cemetery burial, call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117. They arrange everything within 24–48 hours.
- For private burial, file VA Form 21P-530 (Application for Burial Benefits) within two years of burial.
- Keep every receipt — the burial allowance is a reimbursement, not a pre-payment.
Common mistakes that cost families thousands
- Assuming the funeral home will file VA paperwork — most will not, or will charge a fee to do so
- Missing the two-year filing deadline for non-service-connected reimbursement
- Choosing a private cemetery when a national cemetery is available and would have been free
- Paying for a headstone privately when the VA would have provided one free
- Not requesting military honors — every eligible veteran is entitled to a bugler and flag folding at no cost
"The paperwork is not hard. What's hard is doing paperwork the week your dad died. That's why we tell every veteran to pre-file — the VA accepts pre-need eligibility determinations while the veteran is alive."
Pre-need eligibility — the smartest move a veteran can make
The VA will confirm burial eligibility in advance, in writing, using VA Form 40-10007. Once approved, the family doesn't have to prove anything at the time of death — a single phone call opens the file. Every eligible veteran should complete this form. It's free, it takes 15 minutes, and it removes weeks of uncertainty from your family's hardest days.