Service
Veterans funeral benefits: cost & options
Eligible veterans are entitled to significant burial benefits at no cost: a gravesite in a VA national cemetery, opening and closing of the grave, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and military funeral honors. A VA burial allowance may also help with funeral and plot costs.
VA benefits can substantially lower a veteran's funeral cost, but you usually claim them through the funeral director and the VA, with a copy of the DD-214 discharge document. Benefits differ for service-connected versus non-service-connected deaths.
What does the price usually include?
A typical veterans price covers the items on the left. The right column lists common add-ons billed separately — ask each provider for an itemized list.
Included
- A gravesite in any VA national cemetery, at no cost
- Opening and closing of the grave
- A government headstone or marker
- A burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate
- Military funeral honors, including the flag folding and Taps
Usually extra
- The funeral home's services and preparation
- A casket, urn, or burial vault
- Transport of the deceased to the cemetery
- Burial in a private cemetery (only a partial allowance may apply)
Common questions about Veterans funeral benefits
Official sources
Benefit rules and amounts are set by the issuing agency and updated periodically — confirm current details at the source.
Other services
Prices are national ranges for general guidance only — not a quote. Providers must give you an itemized price list under the FTC Funeral Rule.