Veteran Death Benefits: Burial, Military Honors, and How to Claim Them

What the VA Provides for Free

If the deceased served in the US military, they may qualify for VA burial or memorial benefits. A discharge under conditions other than dishonorable is one part of eligibility; it does not by itself guarantee every benefit. National cemetery services and private-cemetery allowances have different eligibility rules and coverage.

National Cemetery burial: Free gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a government headstone or marker, a Presidential Memorial Certificate, and perpetual care of the site. Available at any VA national cemetery with space for the type of burial; the VA's National Cemetery Administration currently maintains 158 cemeteries. Eligible spouses and dependent children can be buried in the same gravesite at no additional cost.

Burial allowance: Some families who pay unreimbursed funeral costs may qualify. For a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, VA may pay up to $2,000. For a qualifying non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2025, VA pays a $1,002 burial allowance and a $1,002 plot or interment allowance if the veteran is not buried in a VA national cemetery. Eligibility rules apply to both benefits.

Headstone or marker: VA furnishes a government headstone or marker at no cost for eligible veterans buried in private cemeteries, but the family pays private cemetery setting fees. Submit VA Form 40-1330 after burial. For a government medallion in a private cemetery, submit VA Form 40-1330M.

Military Funeral Honors

Under federal law (10 U.S.C. § 1491), every eligible veteran is entitled to funeral honors at no cost. The ceremony includes, at minimum:

• A detail of at least two uniformed service members
• Folding and presentation of the American flag to the next of kin
• The playing of Taps (live or recorded)

For veterans with a higher level of service, full military honors may include a firing party (rifle volley), a color guard, a military chaplain, and pallbearers. Active duty members typically receive full honors; reserve and National Guard veterans may receive a modified version.

How to arrange it: Tell your funeral director the deceased was a veteran. They will coordinate with the local military service branch or the Department of Defense Funeral Honors program. You can also contact the nearest military installation directly. There is no charge for this service.

Eligibility Requirements

Common eligibility categories include:

• Veterans who served on active duty and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable
• National Guard and Reserve members who meet VA's qualifying active-duty service or retirement-pay rules; certain service-related deaths or disabilities during training can also qualify
• Certain commissioned officers of the U.S. Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who meet VA's service rules
• Certain Philippine Armed Forces veterans who were U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents living in the U.S. at death and meet VA's service and death-date rules. These include qualifying Philippine military or recognized guerrilla service before July 1, 1946, with death on or after November 1, 2000, or U.S. enlistment between October 6, 1945, and June 30, 1947, with death on or after December 16, 2003.

Examples of people who do not qualify:

• Individuals with dishonorable discharges
• Those convicted of certain federal or state capital crimes
• Former service members whose only separation was under dishonorable conditions
• Veterans with other disqualifying character-of-service determinations; some non-honorable discharge cases require VA review
• Individuals convicted of a Tier III sex offense and sentenced to life imprisonment
• Veterans convicted of subversive activities after September 1, 1959, unless pardoned by the President

Spouse and dependent eligibility: The spouse, surviving spouse (even if remarried), minor children, and certain adult dependent children of eligible veterans can be buried in a national cemetery alongside or in the same gravesite as the veteran.

How to Find the DD-214

The DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) is the key document for claiming VA benefits. Without it, the process stalls.

Where to look first:

• The veteran's personal files — death binder, filing cabinet, safe, or safety deposit box
• County recorder's office — many veterans recorded their DD-214 with the local county clerk after discharge
• The veteran's employer — some employers kept copies in personnel files, especially government employers

If you can't find a copy:

Request one from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). You can submit the request:

• Online through the National Archives at vetrecs.archives.gov (fastest method)
• By mailing Standard Form 180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records) to: NPRC, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138

Allow about 10 days for NPRC to receive and initiate processing a request; total turnaround can take longer and depends on the request. If the veteran served before 1973, be aware that a fire at the NPRC in 1973 destroyed approximately 16–18 million personnel records. The NPRC will attempt to reconstruct records from alternative sources if the original was lost.

Expedited requests: If you need the DD-214 urgently for burial at a national cemetery, the funeral director can contact the NPRC directly for an expedited verification of military service. The VA will also accept other proof of service (military ID, discharge papers, service medals documentation) while the DD-214 request is being processed.

How to Apply for VA Burial Benefits

For national cemetery burial: Contact the national cemetery directly or call the VA's scheduling office at 1-800-535-1117. Alternatively, your funeral director can handle the application. You'll need the DD-214 (or proof of service), the death certificate, and the Social Security number of the deceased.

For the burial allowance: Submit VA Form 21P-530EZ (Application for Burial Benefits) online through va.gov or by mail. A VA regional office can help with the application. Include a copy of the DD-214, the death certificate, and receipts for funeral expenses.

For a headstone or marker: Submit VA Form 40-1330 (Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker) after the burial has taken place. The headstone is shipped directly to the cemetery at no cost.

Additional Benefits Survivors May Be Entitled To

• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): Monthly payments to eligible survivors if the service member died in the line of duty or the veteran died from a service-related injury or disease. Survivors may also qualify if the veteran had a continuous total-disability rating for the 10 years immediately before death; from release from active duty and for at least the 5 years immediately before death; or for at least 1 year immediately before death if a former prisoner of war who died after September 30, 1999.
• Survivors Pension: Needs-based monthly benefit for surviving spouses and children of wartime veterans
• Education benefits: Surviving dependents may be eligible for education assistance under Chapter 35 (DEA) or the transferred GI Bill
• VA home loan assumption: Surviving spouses may be able to assume or refinance a VA-backed mortgage

Acting in the First 48 Hours

In the immediate aftermath of a veteran's death, two things need to happen quickly: locate the DD-214 and inform the funeral director of the veteran's service. Everything else — the burial allowance application, the headstone request, the survivor benefit claims — can be filed in the coming weeks.

Our First 48 Hours toolkit includes a veteran-specific checklist covering where to search for the DD-214, which VA offices to contact, and the full timeline for claiming burial benefits and survivor compensation — organized for people making these decisions while grief is actively impairing their ability to think.