If you or your loved one is a veteran, you are likely eligible for certain funeral benefits. The government provides these benefits for veterans and their family members to help defray the cost of funeral services to thank them for their service to their country. If you qualify for assistance, you may be able to apply for burial in a national veterans cemetery, receive a burial allowance in a private cemetery, or receive military honors and memorial items. Below we’ve helped answer some of the most commonly asked questions from families who are applying to receive veterans benefits.
Am I eligible for veterans services?
When applying to receive a full veteran’s service with full honors, if you answer yes to any of the following questions, you may qualify:
- Are you a military professional in the selected reserve or currently on active duty?
- Have you or your loved one served on active duty and departed from the service on conditions that were not classified as dishonorable?
- Were you or your loved one a military professional who was discharged from the Selected Reserve because of a disability that was aggravated or occurred on duty?
- Were you or your loved one enlisted for at least one term or another period of time in the Selected Reserve and chose to depart under conditions that were not classified as dishonorable?
What are some of the benefits available to veterans and their family members?
If you or your loved one meet the eligibility requirements to receive veterans benefits, you may receive the following.
- VA burial allowance for burial and funeral costs
- VA plot or interment allowance for the cost of the gravesite or interment
- VA transportation reimbursement for the cost of transporting the veteran’s remains to the final resting place
How do you arrange to be buried in a veterans cemetery?
To be buried in a VA national cemetery or a local veterans cemetery in your state, you typically must be:
- A veteran of the armed forces
- A service member who died while on active duty
- A veteran’s spouse
- A veteran’s minor child.
How do I make arrangements if my family does qualify for assistance?
If you qualify for veterans benefits, reach out to your local ShareLife provider and let them know. They will help you to organize the services and keep you on track to make sure you receive all benefits you are entitled to. Your funeral director will help you with the following:
- They will help you complete all necessary applications for military professionals and veterans’ benefits, which may include applications for the Presidential Memorial Certificate, Military Honors, and a veteran headstone or memorial marker.
- They will complete the documentation your family will need to provide at death to request all honors for your loved one.
- They will coordinate space at a national or state veterans’ cemetery, if applicable.
- They will confirm any pre-paid funding benefits to help pay for any expenses that the Veterans Administration have deemed ineligible.
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If you’re interested in planning with a ShareLife provider, we can help you get started with the process. And, if you are a first responder interested in funeral planning, call a local ShareLife provider to learn about our discounted packages to thank you for your service.