Veterans Services

If you are planning (or preplanning) a funeral for a veteran, we want to make sure you know what benefits you may be eligible to receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In addition to helping you understand your VA benefits, we also provide several unique elements and funding options for veterans and service members.

Veterans' Burial Benefits

Through the Department of Veterans Affairs, veteran death benefits help offset the cost of burial, funeral, and transportation associated with the deceased veteran’s services and disposition. The benefits differ depending on whether you choose interment at a private cemetery or a veteran cemetery, but no matter which you choose, there are benefits available to eligible veterans. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Will the Department of Veterans Affairs pay for a veteran's funeral in full?

    No, the VA will not pay for a veteran’s funeral in full. This applies to both cremation services and traditional funerals. However, the VA does provide a specified amount, called a burial allowance, to help offset the cost of either burial or cremation for eligible veterans.

  • Are there cases when the VA pays nothing toward a veteran's funeral?

    Yes. A veteran is not eligible for standard burial benefits if they:


    1. Received a dishonorable discharge
    2. Died during active military service (where different regulations apply)
    3. Were a member of Congress and died while holding office, or 
    4. Were a federal prisoner

  • What does the VA provide for veterans buried in a national cemetery?

    Burial in any open VA national cemetery is available to eligible veterans. This includes, at no cost to the family:


    • Opening/closing of the grave
    • Grave liner
    • Perpetual care of the gravesite
    • Headstone or marker
    • Burial flag
    • Presidential Memorial Certificate
    • Military honors (such as playing of “Taps,” folding and presentation of flag, etc.)

    For those buried in a private cemetery, the VA provides burial and plot allowances, government-issued headstone, burial flag, Presidential Memorial Certificate, and military honors.

  • What are the most common military honors provided at a funeral?

    The Department of Defense, through a program called “Honoring Those Who Served,” is responsible for providing military funeral honors. In most cases, the military personnel who participate do so on a volunteer basis. Keep in mind, military honors must be requested, and they will vary, depending on status, rank, and place of burial. 


    The most common military honors are:


    • Honor Guard
    • Flag-draped casket/urn
    • Folding and presentation of the flag
    • Playing of “Taps”

    In some cases, it may be possible to request additional honors, such as:


    • Three-volley salute
    • Color Guard
    • Pallbearers
    • Horse-drawn caisson
    • Military flyover

    To learn what your veteran is eligible to receive, contact the VA directly.

  • What is the VA's contact information?

    You can visit the Veterans Affairs' website at www.va.gov, or you can call at any of the numbers below.


    National Cemetery Scheduling Office: 800-535-1117


    Headstones and markers: 800-697-6947


    VA benefits hotline: 800-827-1000


    MyVA411 main information line: 800-698-2411


    If you have hearing loss, call TTY: 711.

To ensure that you don’t miss any step of the process, don’t forget to download our Veterans' Burial Benefits Checklist by clicking here: Veterans' Burial Benefits Checklist.