Glossary
Veterans burial benefits
Veterans burial benefits are services the US Department of Veterans Affairs provides for eligible veterans, which can include burial in a national cemetery, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.
For eligible veterans, the VA may provide a gravesite in a national cemetery with opening and closing, a grave liner, and perpetual care at no cost, plus a headstone or marker, a burial flag, and military funeral honors.
Some benefits, such as a headstone or marker and a burial flag, can also apply to burial in a private cemetery. In certain cases the VA offers partial monetary burial allowances. Eligibility rules and current amounts should be confirmed directly with the VA.
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Common questions
- What burial benefits does the VA provide for veterans?
- For eligible veterans, the VA may provide a gravesite in a national cemetery with opening and closing, a grave liner, and perpetual care at no cost, plus a headstone or marker, a burial flag, and military funeral honors. Confirm current benefits with the VA.
- Do veterans benefits apply to burial in a private cemetery?
- Some do. A government headstone or marker and a burial flag can apply to burial in a private cemetery, and in certain cases the VA offers partial monetary burial allowances. The plot and most cemetery costs are not covered at a private cemetery.
- How do I claim veterans burial benefits?
- Funeral directors often help families apply, and eligibility is confirmed with the VA. Having the veteran's discharge papers (such as the DD-214) on hand makes establishing eligibility easier.
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