To simplify this process, you can use our free tool that fills out forms for all of the benefits at once. Or, if you prefer to identify and get each benefit individually, you can use the below information.
There are several earned veterans benefits that your loved one may be eligible for: payments, burial locations, and burial honors.
There are a few steps to get veterans payments:
Notify the defense finance and accounting service
If you are a retired veteran or receive an annuity, upon notification of death, DFAS will stop monthly payments to prevent overpayment. Depending on your plan, this may also initiate the process for survivor benefits.
Oct 3, 2019
Claim veterans life insurance benefits
Active duty service members all have life insurance. The unit should help. Veterans may also have life insurance through the VA.
Oct 3, 2019
Report a death to the VA
Report the death to the VA, in order to get an automatic burial payment and have them guide you through other steps and survivor benefits. You can call 1-800-827-1000.
Oct 1, 2019
There are five main veterans burial location options that you may be eligible for:
Veterans headstone or grave markers in any cemetery
Serves as the only marker of the grave. You can still get special terms of endearment (like “Loving father”) added. These can be used in private or in a VA national cemetery, state Veterans’ cemetery, or a military base cemetery.
Sep 30, 2019
Veterans' medallion for a privately purchased headstone in a private cemetery
Placed on an existing, privately purchased headstone or grave marker
Sep 30, 2019
State, tribal, and territory veteran cemeteries
Many states have established state veterans cemeteries. Eligibility is similar to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemeteries, but may include residency requirements.
Sep 30, 2019
VA National Cemeteries
Burial benefits available include a gravesite in 138 national cemeteries with available space, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a Government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate, at no cost to the family.
Sep 30, 2019
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans and their families. Families come from all over the country to bury their loved ones at Arlington National Cemetery.
Sep 30, 2019
Regardless of where you bury the veteran, there are other burial honors you may be eligible for:
Request a Presidential Memorial Certificate to honor a Veteran or Reservist
A Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) is an engraved paper certificate signed by the current president.
Oct 3, 2019
Veterans burial flag
Burial flags are provided for veterans and reservists at no cost.
Oct 1, 2019
Get a veteran's casket or urn
Deceased veterans with no next-of-kin and insufficient resources available for VA National Cemetery burial may have earned the reimbursement of a casket or urn. You can be reimbursed the actual cost up to the maximum 2015 rate of $1,967 for a casket and $172 for an urn.
Sep 30, 2019
With so much consider, it may make the most sense to contact us directly for help with coordinating veterans benefits. If you’d like our help, email [email protected] or call 657- 999-0791 to speak to our concierge service.
