Burial Benefits
The Veterans Administration offers certain benefits and services to honor our Nation's deceased veterans.
- Headstones and Marker - The VA can furnish a monument to mark the unmarked grave of an eligible veteran.
- Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) - May be provided to eligible recipients.
- Burial Flag to drape an eligible veteran's casket.
- Reimbursement of Burial Expenses - Generally, a burial allowance of up to $2,000 for veterans who die of service-related causes. For certain other veterans, $300 payment towards burial and funeral expenses and $300 for a plot.
- Burial in a VA National Cemetery - Most veterans and some dependents can be buried in a VA national cemetery.
Time Limits: There is no time limit for claiming reimbursement of burial expenses for a service-related death. In other cases, claims must be filed within 2 years of the veteran's burial.
Disability Benefits
The Veterans Administration administers two disability programs. Both pay monthly benefits to disabled veterans.
- Disability Compensation - You may be entitled to receive compensation if you are at least 10% disabled as a result of your military service.
- Disability Pension - May apply if you are a wartime veteran with limited income and you are no longer able to work.
Time Limits: There is no deadline for applying for disability benefits.
Survivor Benefits
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) may be payable to survivors of:
- Service members who die on active duty
- Veterans who died from service-related disabilities
- Certain veterans who were being paid 100% VA disability compensation at time of death
Death Pension is payable to some surviving spouses and children of deceased wartime veterans. The benefit is based on financial need.
VA Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA) shares the cost of medical services for eligible dependents and survivors of certain veterans.
Time Limits: There are no time limits for applying for the benefits described above.