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VETERAN’S BENEFITS:
Generally, an eligible veteran is entitled to:
1. Eligible veterans who die in a VA hospital with
burial in a VA cemetery may receive:
a.
Transportation charges from the VA facility to
the funeral home
b.
Transportation charges from the funeral home
to the closest VA cemetery
c.
Free grave, niche or cremains garden space in
the cemetery
d.
Charges for opening and closing of the grave
e.
Grave box
f.
Government headstone (marker)
g.
United States flag
h.
$300
toward
funeral
expenses
(subject
to
change without notice)
2. Veterans who die in a VA hospital with burial in a
private cemetery may receive:
a.
Transportation charges
b.
Government headstone (marker)
c.
United States flag
d.
$300
reimbursement
toward
the
funeral
expenses (subject to change)
e.
$300
reimbursement
toward
the
cemetery
expenses (subject to change)
3. Veterans who die in a non-VA facility with burial
in a VA cemetery may receive:
a.
Same as #1 above except the transportation
charges
and
the
$300
allowance
toward
funeral expenses are excluded
4. Veterans who die in a non-VA facility with burial
in a private cemetery may receive:
a.
Government headstone (marker)
b.
United States flag
5. When
the
veteran
is
currently
receiving
VA
disability, he may receive:
a.
$300
reimbursement
toward
the
funeral
expenses
b.
$300
reimbursement
toward
the
cemetery
expenses
6. If the Veterans Administration determines that the
cause of death was due to a service related injury
or illness, he may receive:
a.
Reimbursement up to $2,000
How to Apply
You can apply by filling out VA Form 21-530, Application for Burial Allowance. You should attach proof of the
veteran’s military service (DD 214), the death certificate and copies of funeral and burial bills you have paid.
Further
information
of
all
benefits
and
eligibility
requirements
can
be
obtained
on
the
internet
at
www.cem.va.gov, through your nearest Veterans Affairs office, your county Veterans Service Officer or your local
funeral director.
SOCIAL SECURITY INFORMATION
To facilitate receiving Social Security Benefits as next of kin to the deceased, you will need the following when you
contact your Social Security Office.
1.
Marriage certificate
2.
Children’s birth certificates
3.
Proof of widow’s or widower’s age if 60 or over.
4.
Deceased’s Social Security Number
5.
Total wages paid on IRS W2 form or Schedule
“SE” for preceding two years.
6.
Proof of death (done for you by the Funeral
Director—a death certificate is not required).
Social Security pays a lump sum death benefit of $255 to a surviving spouse. If there is no surviving spouse, the
benefit is not paid unless there are eligible MINOR children. It usually requires three months for a widow to start
obtaining
Social
Security
Benefits.
Additional
information
is
available
on
the
internet
at
www.ssa.gov/pubs/deathbenefits.htm.
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