Burial Benefits for Veterans: Eligibility, Costs and Allowances

Find out what VA cemetery benefits cover, who qualifies and how to apply

Aaron Kassraie

Updated April 06, 2026

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Published October 06, 2021

/ Updated April 06, 2026

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Key takeaways

Most veterans qualify for burial benefits, as do eligible family members.
Military cemeteries provide a grave site, perpetual care, a burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate at no cost.
Burial allowances depend on VA eligibility rules, the circumstances of the veteran’s death and the type of burial.

Up until the Civil War, soldiers were often buried where they fell on the battlefield, a practice President Abraham Lincoln said was “no way to treat those who had borne the battle.” In 1862, Congress authorized land purchases for the country’s first 14 veterans’ cemeteries. Today there are 157 national military cemeteries and 124 state-, territory- and tribal-operated cemeteries supported by grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Although these federal burial grounds are long established, many people are unaware of the broad eligibility and benefits the VA’s National Cemetery Administration (NCA) offers to veterans and their families. AARP spoke with Samuel Brown, the VA’s undersecretary for memorial affairs, about common misconceptions and steps families can take to avoid delays.

1. Eligibility requirements: Who qualifies for VA cemetery benefits?

Burial benefits are not just for combat veterans. Most veterans with a discharge other than dishonorable are eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, as are their spouses and, in some cases, dependent children.

“If you served a period of active duty that was not for training, and that service was not dishonorable, or you are retired from the uniformed services in any capacity, you and your spouse are normally eligible for burial,” Brown told AARP.

Eligibility rules at state, territorial or tribal cemeteries are similar to those for federal sites but may include residence requirements and an internment fee for spouses. Families should contact their chosen cemetery in advance to find out.

2. VA cemetery benefits: What’s covered

VA national and state cemetery benefits include a grave site (where space is available), opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate at no cost to the family, depending on eligibility.

3. Private cemetery burial: What the VA provides

Even if a veteran is buried in a private cemetery, the VA may provide certain memorial items free of charge, including a headstone, marker or medallion. Eligibility requirements are different for this benefit, but combat service is still not required.

Spouses and dependents are ineligible for benefits at a nonmilitary burial ground, though they may be eligible for an inscription on a veteran’s headstone if the veteran would have been eligible for burial at a VA cemetery.

For headstones and markers, families can choose from flat markers in granite, marble or bronze and upright headstones in granite or marble (the style chosen must be permitted by the private cemetery). For veterans buried in a columbarium, a bronze niche marker is also available. Families who have already purchased a headstone or marker can instead apply for a medallion; these are available in three sizes and display the veteran’s branch of service.

4. Pre-need burial eligibility: How to plan ahead

You can request a pre-need determination to determine in advance if you are eligible for burial at a VA cemetery. As part of the process, you will have to:

Choose either a VA national cemetery state, territory or tribal site.
Gather supporting documents. Usually, they include a DD214 form. If you have trouble finding the right records or need additional documentation, contact the National Personnel Records Center or Veterans Benefits Administration.
Submit the pre-need application for each person requesting a determination. You can start your application online.

State, territorial and tribal cemeteries may have different or additional requirements — contact these facilities directly to find out about their pre-need programs. There is no pre-need process for Arlington National Cemetery, which is managed by the Army and determines eligibility for interment only after a veteran’s death.

5. No DD214? What to do

If a veteran dies before filing a pre-need application, survivors can still schedule a burial, even if they can’t find discharge papers.

“The first step is to call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117. They will help the family with the process,” said Brown.

To obtain the required service records, the NCA will reach out to the National Personnel Records Center or the Veterans Benefits Administration. It typically takes a few days to retrieve them.

6. VA burial allowance amounts and filing deadlines

Depending on a veteran’s service history and where they are buried, the VA may provide burial allowances, also called veterans death benefits. Current maximum amounts are based on the date of death. For non-service-connected deaths, the VA currently pays $1,002 for burial and $1,002 for the plot for deaths on or after Oct. 1, 2025.

The burial benefit program provides financial help with all burial types, including cremation, burial at sea and donation of remains to a medical school.

There’s no time limit to claim a burial or transportation allowance when the cause of death is related to military service. In most cases, claims for deaths that aren’t service-connected must be filed within two years.

7. Transportation reimbursement: When the VA may pay back costs

As part of its burial allowance, the VA may reimburse the cost of transporting remains to the final resting place for all legal burial types.

To request reimbursement, you may need to provide:

A copy of the veteran’s death certificate, with cause of death listed
An itemized receipt for transportation costs, if you paid to transport the remains

8. Commemorative urns and plaques: A choice that affects burial options

The VA offers two memorial items for veterans whose cremated remains have not been buried: A commemorative plaque designed to hang on a wall or an urn to hold the remains. Families can choose whichever they prefer, but it’s important to know what that choice means for future burial options.

Once the VA provides a plaque or an urn, the law prohibits the agency from interring that veteran in a VA national cemetery and from providing a government headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion. This is a permanent restriction, so think it through carefully before applying for these items. (This rule applies only to using a VA-provided urn. Cremated remains in a non-VA urn can still be interred in a VA national cemetery.)

This restriction does not affect a surviving spouse or dependent child’s eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery.

Veterans may still be interred at a state or tribal cemetery, subject to the cemetery’s rules. But keep in mind, most of these cemeteries rely on the VA to provide a government headstone. Since the VA is barred from providing a marker once a memorial urn or plaque is issued, families may face additional costs to provide a private headstone.

The following memorial benefits can be requested at any time, even without an immediate funeral or burial planned, and do not affect future burial eligibility in a VA cemetery:

A Presidential Memorial Certificate honoring the veteran’s service. This is an engraved, framable certificate signed by the current president. Families can request multiple copies.
A burial flag that can be draped over a casket or placed with an urn in honor of the veteran’s service.

9. Veterans Legacy Memorial: Veteran web pages

The Veteran Legacy Memorial (VLM) honors more than 10 million veterans and service members across national, state, territorial and tribal VA cemeteries, as well as private sites. Family members can visit the VLM to find their loved one’s memorial page and post tributes, images and biographical information.

10. Bereavement Counseling for Veterans’ Families

Surviving spouses, children and parents of a service member or veteran may qualify for bereavement counseling (sometimes called grief counseling) through the VA. These services are provided at community-based Vet Centers by trained counselors, with telehealth options available. The VA says services include outreach, counseling and referrals.

Family members may be eligible for counseling if the late service member or veteran died in service; was a Reservist or Guard member who died while on active duty; was receiving Vet Center services at the time of death; or died by suicide.

11. VA burial benefits are underutilized

Of the 582,000 veterans who died in the 2022 federal fiscal year, only about 22 percent were buried in a national, state or tribal veterans cemetery, according to the VA. The agency estimates that less than half of veterans and their families take advantage of VA burial and memorial benefits.

The National Cemetery Administration campaign “Plan Today. Honor Forever.” provides resources for veterans and families to check eligibility and plan ahead.

Burial Benefit FAQs

Eligibility requirement

Who is eligible for free burial in a VA national cemetery?

Veterans with a discharge other than dishonorable may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery. Surviving spouses and, in some cases, dependent children may be buried with them.

How to apply

What’s the fastest way to start after a death?

The VA instructs families (or funeral directors) to call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 to request a burial.

What documents do families need?

The VA’s scheduling guidance says you generally need the DD214 or other discharge documents to determine eligibility. If you can’t find the DD214, the VA can work with the National Archives to obtain records needed to verify service.

The VA may seek additional documents to verify the survivors’ relationship to the deceased or dependent status, such as a death certificate or statement from the Social Security Administration.

VA burial allowance amounts

What is the VA burial allowance for 2026?

The VA’s current burial allowance table lists $1,002 for burial/funeral and $1,002 for plot for non-service-connected deaths on or after Oct. 1, 2025 (eligibility and date-of-death rules apply).

How long does it take to get VA burial benefits?

The application takes about 30 minutes to complete. Once submitted, the VA will follow up by mail, either to request additional information or to let you know whether your claim has been approved or denied.

Timelines vary, but the VA notes it may take several days to check eligibility if discharge documents aren’t available.

I saw something online about a $25,000 VA burial benefit. Is that real?

No. You may have seen ads on social media sites or received unsolicited calls or texts citing this figure and offering to help you get it from the VA. The agency’s actual 2026 burial allowances are up to $1,002 for non-service-connected deaths and up to $2,000 for service-connected deaths.

Messages and marketing touting much higher payments may look official, but they are scams. If you spot or receive a suspicious communication about VA benefits, report it to the VSAFE Fraud Hotline at 833-388-7233.

The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

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Aaron Kassraie writes about issues important to military veterans and their families for AARP. He also serves as a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously covered U.S. foreign policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency’s Washington bureau and worked in news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English. 