Massachusetts Veterans Burial Assistance and Chapter 115 Benefits

When a veteran dies in Massachusetts, the family is eligible for a layered set of burial and financial benefits from both the federal VA and the Commonwealth — but the two systems operate entirely separately, have different eligibility requirements, and require separate applications. Missing one layer means leaving real money on the table during an already devastating time.

Here is exactly what is available, who qualifies, and how to claim it.

Federal VA Burial Allowances

The Department of Veterans Affairs pays burial allowances directly to the person who covered the funeral expenses — not the funeral home. For deaths occurring on or after October 1, 2025, the rates are:

• Non-service-connected death: Up to $1,002 for burial expenses plus $1,002 for plot or interment allowance — a combined maximum of $2,004.
• Service-connected death: Up to $2,000 toward burial expenses for deaths occurring on or after September 11, 2001. There is no separate plot allowance cap in this category.
• Death in a VA facility: An additional $1,002 plot allowance applies if the veteran is not buried in a national cemetery.

These rates adjust annually each October 1. The VA also provides burial in a national cemetery at no cost, which includes the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a government headstone or marker, and a burial flag.

To claim the monetary allowance, file VA Form 21P-530EZ. The two-year filing deadline from the date of death is strict — missing it permanently forfeits the benefit.

Massachusetts Chapter 115 Veterans Benefits

This is where Massachusetts significantly outpaces most states. Chapter 115 is a state-mandated, locally administered financial assistance program for veterans and their dependents who meet income and honorable-discharge requirements. It covers far more than burial.

Burial assistance: A municipality can pay up to $4,000 toward the total cost of burial for an eligible veteran, with some cities authorizing even higher amounts. This benefit is administered through your local Veterans' Service Officer (VSO), not the VA.

Ongoing financial aid: Chapter 115 also provides monthly cash assistance for housing, food, utilities, and medical care for surviving spouses and dependent children of qualifying veterans. Under the HERO Act, the surviving spouse annuity for un-remarried spouses of veterans who died from combat-related injuries increases to $2,500 annually, paid in a single installment on August 1.

Eligibility requirements for Chapter 115:

• The veteran must have received an honorable discharge or another discharge under honorable conditions.
• The applicant must be a Massachusetts resident.
• There is an income and asset means test administered by the local VSO. The exact thresholds vary by municipality.

The VSO does not advertise these benefits broadly. You must contact your town or city's VSO directly to apply — a phone call or in-person visit is usually required to initiate the application. A DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) is the essential document for every veteran benefit claim.

Coordinating Federal and State Benefits

These two programs are not mutually exclusive. A family can receive federal VA burial allowances and Massachusetts Chapter 115 burial assistance simultaneously, as long as the combined reimbursement does not exceed the actual funeral costs incurred.

The practical sequence:

1. Contact the local VSO within the first week — do not wait until after the funeral bill is paid, as some municipalities require pre-authorization.
2. File VA Form 21P-530EZ with the regional VA office within two years of the date of death.
3. Retain all original receipts for funeral home charges, cemetery fees, and any prepaid burial contracts.

If the deceased veteran was covered by workers' compensation at the time of death due to a service-related disability rated by the VA, a separate workers' compensation burial benefit under G.L. c. 152 may also apply.

Other Massachusetts-Specific Veterans Benefits

Property tax relief: The surviving spouse of a veteran who died from service-connected causes may qualify for a full real estate tax exemption under Clause 22D of G.L. c. 59, § 5. For non-service-connected deaths, Clause 22 series exemptions of $400 to $1,500 apply based on disability rating. Applications go to the local Board of Assessors by April 1 each year.

Tuition benefits: Surviving dependent children of veterans who died on active duty or from service-connected causes may qualify for the Edward T. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program, which covers tuition at Massachusetts public colleges and universities.

State veterans cemeteries: Massachusetts maintains veterans cemeteries in Agawam and Winchendon. Burial there is available to veterans who were Massachusetts residents, and eligible spouses can be interred in the same plot.

Navigating the federal VA system, your local VSO, the state Department of Veterans' Services, and the Board of Assessors simultaneously — all while managing funeral arrangements and grief — is genuinely overwhelming. The Massachusetts Survivor Benefits Navigator maps every benefit program with step-by-step instructions for each application, including the exact forms, deadlines, and documentation required.

See more Massachusetts guides →