Burial Benefits Are Not Funeral Benefits

Honorably Discharged Veterans are eligible for one or more death benefits from the Veterans Administration (VA). Although veterans can apply for Burial benefits for veterans include interment at a National Cemetery and/or a burial allowance to reimburse the family member or other responsible party who pays for the veteran's final expenses.
As a rule there is no funeral benefits. Although, In some cases, if the veteran dies from service connected conditions in a VA hospital or nursing home, the surviving
dependents of deceased veterans may qualify for financial compensation. And for other benefits, such as plot costs, transporting costs, marker costs if the family uses a non government cemetery.

Most honorably discharged veterans and all veterans who died while on active duty or during training (whether on active or inactive duty) are eligible to be buried in a National Cemetery that has space available. This is true for both casketed and cremated remains. This benefit is also available to spouses, minor children, and unmarried dependent adult children of eligible veterans. Key facts to be aware of
include:
• National Cemetery burials can't be reserved or scheduled in advance.
• You cannot apply for a National Cemetery burial via the internet.
• Use attached VA-provided checklist to gather the documents you will need to schedule the burial.
• Fax the veteran's official discharge documentation to 866-900-6417 or email it to NCA.Scheduling@va.gov (unless the burial is for the spouse or dependent child of a veteran who is already buried in a National Cemetery).
• After sending discharge paperwork, call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 to make arrangements. They are open seven days per week, from 7 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Central time.
• The scheduling office is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
• The VA will provide the space and its perpetual care, handle opening and closing the grave, mark the gravesite (with a government headstone, marker, or medallion), and give the family a burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.
• The family will need to work with a funeral home or cremation service to coordinate the funeral or cremation. The family will be responsible for costs from these services, but may also be eligible for a burial allowance (see next
section).
In some situations, the VA may pay for or reimburse some or all of the cost of transporting the remains of a deceased veteran to a National Cemetery. This applies to service-related deaths and situations in which a veteran dies while admitted to a VA hospital or a nursing home contracted by the VA, or while traveling with VA authorization to receive care.

There are specific requirements regarding veteran eligibility for burial expense reimbursement. Veterans who meet at least one of the following requirements at their time of death may qualify.
• Receiving VA pension or compensation
• Receiving full military retirement or disability pay instead of VA pension or compensation for which they were eligible
• Dying as a result of a service-connected disability
• Dying while receiving care at a VA facility (or one contracted by the VA)
• Dying while traveling to a medical facility to receive care that the VA has authorized and is paying for
• Dying with a pending claim for VA compensation or pension, assuming they would have been entitled to benefits prior to passing away There are a few specific exceptions. For example, VA burial benefits are not available to veterans who pass away while serving a federal prison sentence, or
while holding office in the United States Congress. VA burial benefits are also not available to service members who died while on active duty because different benefits apply. Normally covered by SGLI insurance.

The VA allowance amount varies based on when the veteran died, whether the death was service-related or not, and if the veteran was in VA care at the time of death. For veterans whose deaths are service-related, $2,000 is the maximum total burial allowance. For non-service connected deaths, the amounts vary based on  whether the person died while admitted to a VA hospital.

In some situations, surviving dependents of veterans are eligible for other death benefits. Facts related to the veteran's death impact eligibility for survivors' benefits, as do the circumstances of the surviving dependents.

With the exception of surviving spouses who are specified as such on the veteran's profile, qualified individuals who are paying for a veteran's final expenses must apply for benefits within two years of the time the veteran is buried or cremated.
For surviving spouses, the VA will automatically send the appropriate amount after being notified of the veteran's death. Information needed to apply includes:
• Social Security number or VA file number
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Date of death
• Place of death
• Military status/history
• DD214 or other military service separation documents
• Death certificate
• Documentation of costs associated with transporting remains (if applicable)