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VA death benefits checklist: what a veteran's family can claim

When a veteran dies, the family may be able to claim a burial allowance, free burial in a VA national cemetery, a headstone or marker, a burial flag, and monthly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for an eligible spouse, child or parent. Most claims need the veteran's DD214 and a death certificate, and some non-service-connected claims have a 2-year filing deadline.

By the Omliva team · Published September 18, 2026 · Updated September 18, 2026

Omliva organizes practical information. This guide is general information for the United States, not legal, tax, financial or medical advice.

A short note before you start

This guide covers United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) death benefits in general terms. It is not legal, tax, financial or medical advice. Rules change, and a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) can confirm what applies to a specific family, free, at va.gov/vso.

What benefits are available when a veteran dies

The VA groups death benefits into three broad categories: money to help pay for the funeral, honors and memorial items for the burial itself, and ongoing monthly compensation for eligible survivors.

Burial allowance: money toward funeral costs

The VA burial allowance is a partial reimbursement, not full funeral coverage.

  • Service-connected death: up to $2,000 for deaths on or after September 11, 2001, or up to $1,500 for deaths before that date (VA, checked 2026-09-18).
  • Non-service-connected death: up to $1,002 for burial and funeral costs, plus a separate $1,002 plot or interment allowance, for deaths on or after October 1, 2025. These amounts adjust most years (VA, checked 2026-09-18).
  • Transportation: the VA can reimburse the full, receipted cost of moving the veteran's remains to a VA national cemetery in some cases (VA, checked 2026-09-18).

To qualify for the non-service-connected allowance, the veteran must not have received a dishonorable discharge, and must have died from a service-connected condition, while receiving VA care or traveling to authorized VA treatment, with a pending or approved VA compensation or pension claim, while receiving VA compensation or pension, or after choosing military retirement pay over VA compensation (VA, checked 2026-09-18). There is no burial allowance if the veteran died on active duty or while in federal prison for a felony.

National cemetery burial: no cost to the family

A veteran with a discharge other than dishonorable, an eligible service member, or an eligible spouse or dependent child can be buried in a VA national cemetery. The VA provides the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a grave liner, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and perpetual care, at no cost to the family (National Cemetery Administration, checked 2026-09-18). A spouse or dependent may be buried even before the veteran dies, and their name can be added to the veteran's headstone at no charge.

Generally, an eligible veteran needs at least 24 months of continuous active duty, with exceptions for those medically discharged or who served before that rule took effect. Reserve and National Guard members qualify if entitled to retired pay at death, or if they died from an injury or illness connected to active or inactive duty training (National Cemetery Administration, Eligibility, checked 2026-09-18).

To schedule a burial, the funeral home (or the family, if handling arrangements directly) faxes the veteran's discharge documents to 1-866-900-6417 and calls the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 (National Cemetery Administration, checked 2026-09-18).

Headstone, marker or medallion

For a private cemetery burial, the VA can provide a government headstone, marker or medallion at no cost, or reimburse up to $441 for one already bought privately, for deaths on or after October 1, 2025 (VA, checked 2026-09-18). Apply with VA Form 40-1330, Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker.

Burial flag

Most veterans with a discharge other than dishonorable are eligible for a United States burial flag, presented to the next of kin as a keepsake after it drapes the casket or urn during the service (VA, checked 2026-09-18). Only one flag is issued per veteran. Apply with VA Form 21-2008, available at any VA regional office, most funeral homes, or a U.S. Post Office, and give it to the funeral director handling arrangements.

Presidential Memorial Certificate

A Presidential Memorial Certificate is an engraved paper certificate signed by the sitting president, honoring an honorably discharged, deceased veteran. The VA presents one automatically at a national cemetery burial. If the veteran is eligible for national cemetery burial but buried elsewhere, a family member or close friend can request one using VA Form 40-0247, with copies of the death certificate and DD214 (VA, checked 2026-09-18).

Military funeral honors

On request, an eligible veteran or a service member who dies on active duty is entitled to a military funeral honors ceremony, including folding and presenting the flag and playing "Taps." By law, the honors detail has at least two uniformed members, with one from the veteran's own branch (National Cemetery Administration, Military Funeral Honors, checked 2026-09-18). The funeral director usually requests this; it is free.

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for survivors

DIC is a tax-free monthly payment for an eligible surviving spouse, child or dependent parent, separate from the burial benefits above.

Who qualifies for DIC

A survivor may qualify for DIC if the veteran or service member died on active duty or during training, died from a service-connected illness or injury, or had a service-connected disability rated totally disabling for at least 10 years before death, or since release from active duty and for at least 5 years before death (VA, checked 2026-09-18).

A surviving spouse also generally must have lived with the veteran continuously until death (or been separated without fault), and meet one of: married the veteran within 15 years of the period of service that caused the qualifying condition, was married at least 1 year, or had a child with the veteran (VA, checked 2026-09-18). A spouse who remarries on or after December 16, 2003, and after turning 57, can keep receiving DIC (VA, checked 2026-09-18).

How much DIC pays

The basic monthly DIC rate for a surviving spouse is $1,699.36, effective December 1, 2025. Add-ons can include $421.00 for aid and attendance, $197.22 for a housebound spouse, $421.00 per dependent child under 18, $360.85 if the veteran had a totally disabling rating for at least 8 years before death and the spouse was married throughout, and a $359.00 transitional benefit for the first two years after death when there is a dependent child (VA, Current DIC rates for spouses and dependents, checked 2026-09-18). Rates for dependent parents are set separately and are income-based (VA, Current DIC rates for parents, checked 2026-09-18).

Survivors Pension, as a separate option

A low-income surviving spouse or unmarried child of a wartime veteran who does not qualify for DIC may instead qualify for the VA Survivors Pension, which has its own income and net worth limits and is not combined with DIC (VA, Survivors Pension, checked 2026-09-18).

How to apply, and the deadlines that matter

Benefit Form Typical deadline
Burial allowance (service-connected) VA Form 21P-530EZ No time limit (VA, checked 2026-09-18)
Burial allowance (non-service-connected) VA Form 21P-530EZ 2 years from burial, unless the veteran died under VA care (VA, checked 2026-09-18)
DIC, Survivors Pension, accrued benefits (spouse or child) VA Form 21P-534EZ Standard accrued benefits: 1 year from death; DIC and pension have no filing deadline but pay from the claim date in most cases (VA, checked 2026-09-18)
Accrued benefits (surviving parent) VA Form 21P-535 1 year from death (VA, checked 2026-09-18)
Lump-sum accrued benefits (withheld institutional payments) VA Form 21P-601 5 years from death (VA, checked 2026-09-18)
Burial flag VA Form 21-2008 Give to funeral director before or at the service
Headstone or marker VA Form 40-1330 No published deadline; apply once burial location is set
Presidential Memorial Certificate VA Form 40-0247 No published deadline

Burial allowance forms go to the Pension Intake Center, PO Box 5365, Janesville, WI 53547-5365, or can be filed online at VA.gov (VA, checked 2026-09-18). A Veterans Service Officer can file most of these forms at no cost; find one through va.gov/vso.

Documents needed

  • The veteran's DD214 or other separation documents (needed for almost every claim above)
  • Multiple certified copies of the death certificate, showing cause of death for service-connected claims
  • Marriage certificate, for a surviving spouse's DIC or pension claim
  • Birth certificates for dependent children
  • Itemized funeral and burial bills, and any transportation receipts, for reimbursement claims
  • The veteran's VA claim number or Social Security number, if known
  • Bank account information for direct deposit of DIC or pension payments

Replacing a lost DD214

If the family cannot find the veteran's discharge papers, the National Archives can issue a replacement. Request online through the eVetRecs system with an identity-verified ID.me account, or mail or fax a completed Standard Form 180 to the National Personnel Records Center address listed on that form (National Archives, checked 2026-09-18). Note "Natural Disaster" in the comments if urgent replacement is needed after one. This is the kind of document a family guide, such as the one Omliva helps families build, keeps a copy of ahead of time so no one has to search for it during a loss.

What to record in the family guide

Most VA claims hinge on paperwork the family may not know exists. It helps to record, before it is needed:

  • Where the DD214 and any discharge or separation papers are kept
  • The veteran's branch of service, dates of service and VA claim number, if any
  • Whether the veteran already has a pre-need eligibility determination for a national cemetery (see va.gov/burials-memorials/pre-need-eligibility/)
  • Any existing VA disability rating or pension the veteran received
  • Preference for national cemetery burial versus a private cemetery
  • Whether military funeral honors are wanted

Keeping this in a household binder or in case I die binder means a spouse or adult child is not hunting for a DD214 while planning a funeral.

When to get professional help

Most burial and headstone claims are simple enough to file directly using the forms above. Get help from an accredited Veterans Service Officer, free through a Veterans Service Organization or the VA regional office, when a death might be service-connected but was never formally rated, when a DIC claim is denied and needs an appeal, when the discharge status is anything other than honorable or general, or when service records cannot be located. A probate attorney may be needed separately for settling an estate; VA death benefits generally go directly to the survivor, not through probate.

Frequently asked questions

What happens to VA benefits when a veteran dies?

Ongoing VA disability compensation or pension payments to the veteran stop at death. Money the VA already owed but had not paid becomes an "accrued benefit" a spouse, child or dependent parent can claim, generally within 1 year. Separately, an eligible survivor may become newly entitled to DIC or Survivors Pension (VA, checked 2026-09-18).

How much does the VA pay for a veteran's funeral?

Up to $1,002 for burial and funeral costs plus a separate $1,002 plot allowance for a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2025, or up to $2,000 for a service-connected death. Burial, a headstone, a flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate are free in a VA national cemetery (VA, checked 2026-09-18).

Is the surviving spouse of a veteran entitled to benefits?

Often yes. A surviving spouse who meets the marriage and cohabitation rules can receive monthly DIC if the veteran's death was service-connected, or the veteran had a long-standing total disability rating. A spouse who does not qualify for DIC may still qualify for the income-based Survivors Pension. Burial in a national cemetery and a flag are usually available regardless (VA, checked 2026-09-18).

How long do you have to file a VA burial claim?

For a non-service-connected death, 2 years from the date of burial. There is no deadline if the death was service-connected, or if the veteran died while under VA-authorized care (VA, checked 2026-09-18).

Do you need the DD214 to claim VA death benefits?

Yes, for almost every claim: burial allowance, DIC, Survivors Pension, the headstone allowance and the Presidential Memorial Certificate all ask for the veteran's DD214 or other discharge documents. If it is lost, the National Archives can issue a replacement through eVetRecs or Standard Form 180 (National Archives, checked 2026-09-18).

Can a veteran's family get a free burial flag and headstone even without a national cemetery burial?

Yes. A burial flag is issued regardless of burial location, using VA Form 21-2008. A government headstone or marker, or reimbursement up to $441 for one already bought, is also available for a private cemetery burial, using VA Form 40-1330 (VA, checked 2026-09-18).

What is the difference between DIC and the Survivors Pension?

DIC is tied to a service-connected death or a long-standing total disability rating and is not income-based. The Survivors Pension is for low-income survivors of a wartime veteran regardless of whether the death was service-connected. A survivor generally gets one or the other, not both (VA, checked 2026-09-18).

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