JournalFuneral and burial
Veteran burial benefits
What a VA national cemetery provides at no cost, what the burial allowance actually reimburses, and the filing deadline that has two exceptions worth knowing.
For an eligible veteran, burial in a VA national cemetery covers most of what a family would otherwise pay a cemetery for. It does not cover the funeral home. Knowing exactly where that line falls is the whole of this article.
Figures below are the rates in effect for deaths on or after 1 October 2025, checked on 17 September 2026. VA resets these every 1 October, confirm the current amount at va.gov before relying on it.
What burial in a VA national cemetery includes
At no cost to the family:
- A gravesite in any national cemetery with available space
- Opening and closing of the grave
- A burial liner provided by the government
- A headstone or marker provided by the government
- Perpetual care of the gravesite
Eligible veterans, service members, and Reservists also receive a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate, and military funeral honors.
Set against a private cemetery, that is the plot, the opening and closing, the vault, the marker, and the endowment care, the five charges that make up most of a burial bill.
What it does not include
The funeral home's own charges are separate, and they are usually the largest remaining cost: transfer of the body, preparation, the casket, staff, and any service or viewing.
Transportation of the remains to the cemetery is also handled separately. VA may reimburse some transportation costs in limited circumstances, and only with a receipt in your name.
Confirming eligibility in advance
You can apply ahead of time for a pre-need determination using VA Form 40-10007.
Understand precisely what that does. It confirms whether the person is eligible. It is not a reservation. VA states it cannot guarantee burial in a preferred cemetery, and if that cemetery has no space at the time of need, VA will help the family choose another one with space available.
A pre-need decision letter is worth keeping with the will and the other planning papers, because the family will need it at a moment when nobody wants to be hunting for a DD214.
The burial allowance
Separate from the cemetery benefit, VA may pay a burial allowance, a reimbursement to the person or organization that paid for the burial, claimed on VA Form 21P-530EZ. It is not a payment to the funeral home.
Rates for deaths on or after 1 October 2025:
| Benefit | Amount |
|---|---|
| Burial allowance, non-service-connected death | $1,002 |
| Plot or interment allowance | $1,002 |
| Burial allowance, service-connected death on or after 11 September 2001 | $2,000 |
| Headstone or marker allowance | $441 |
For comparison, the previous tier, deaths between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025, paid $978 for burial and $978 for the plot. The figures move every year.
If you are the surviving spouse, you generally do not need to file at all. Where the spouse is listed on the veteran's profile, VA automatically pays the eligible amount on notice of the death.
The deadline, and its two exceptions
The commonly repeated version is "you have two years." That is incomplete, and the exceptions matter.
For a non-service-connected death, you must file within two years after the veteran's burial, unless either of these applies:
- No time limit if the death was not service connected and the veteran died while under VA care, at a VA facility or a VA-contracted facility.
- No time limit if you are claiming the plot or interment allowance, or transportation.
For a service-connected death, there is no time limit at all.
If a family assumed the two-year rule and let it pass, it is worth checking whether one of these applies before concluding the claim is lost.
Watch for "veterans specials" at commercial cemeteries
The FTC warns that some commercial cemeteries advertise a free plot for the veteran while charging high prices for the adjoining spouse's plot and for opening and closing.
The free line is not the offer. Evaluate the bottom-line cost of the whole arrangement, including the spouse's space, and compare it against a national cemetery where the veteran is eligible.
Who to call
- National Cemetery Scheduling Office: 800-535-1117 (TTY 711), weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern. You or the funeral director can call to request a burial.
- Headstones and markers: 800-697-6947 (TTY 711). The application is VA Form 40-1330.
A government headstone or marker can be placed in a private cemetery, but the installation cost there is not covered. Some states also charge fees for burial of spouses or dependents at state veterans cemeteries.
What to write down now
- Where the DD214 is. This is the document families cannot find at the worst moment.
- Whether a pre-need determination was made, and where the letter is
- Which cemetery is preferred, and the second choice
- Whether the spouse expects to be buried in the same place
- Who will pay the funeral home, since that is the person the burial allowance reimburses
Before the Funeral Home has a page for what is already paid for, including veterans benefits, and the questions to ask before anyone signs. See what is inside
This article is general information, not funeral advice. Prices and rules differ by provider and by state. Ask any funeral home for its itemized price list.
Before the Funeral Home is the workbook for this. See what is inside.