What To Do When A Veteran Dies: Step-By-Step Checklist

When a veteran dies, the first steps are the same as for any death: get a legal pronouncement, contact a funeral home and order certified death certificates. What is different is who you notify next. Veterans’ survivors also need to report the death to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) if the veteran was a military retiree, and to the Social Security Administration, and they should claim the burial benefits, military funeral honors and cemetery options that most veterans have earned. This checklist walks through what to do when a veteran dies, in order, with the 2026 benefit amounts and the phone numbers you will need.

Quick Checklist: What To Do When A Veteran Dies

1. Get a legal pronouncement of death from a doctor, hospice nurse, hospital or medical examiner.
2. Find the veteran’s DD-214 (discharge papers). If you cannot find it, the National Cemetery Scheduling Office can help at 800-535-1117.
3. Choose a funeral home and order at least 10 certified copies of the death certificate.
4. Report the death to the VA at 800-827-1000 to stop compensation or pension payments and start survivor claims.
5. If the veteran was a military retiree, report the death to DFAS at 800-321-1080 or through the askDFAS online form.
6. Notify the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213.
7. Tell the funeral director you want military funeral honors and, if you wish, burial in a national or state veterans cemetery.
8. Request the free burial flag, headstone or marker and Presidential Memorial Certificate.
9. Apply for the VA burial allowance (VA Form 21P-530EZ) and any survivor benefits such as DIC or the Survivor Benefit Plan.
10. Return VA-issued medical equipment, contact life insurers and begin settling the estate.

Step 1: Get A Legal Pronouncement Of Death

Nothing else on this list can happen until a death has been legally pronounced, because the pronouncement is what allows the death certificate to be issued. If the veteran died in a VA medical center, hospital or nursing home, the care team handles this. If they were receiving hospice care at home, call the hospice; a hospice nurse can usually make the pronouncement. If the death was unexpected and no medical professional is present, call 911. Emergency responders or the medical examiner will make the pronouncement and tell you what happens next.

Step 2: Gather The Veteran’s Documents

Almost every benefit and notification below asks for the same handful of documents, so collect them once, early, and keep them together.

• DD-214 or other discharge papers. This is the single most important document. It proves the veteran’s branch, dates of service and character of discharge, and it is required for military honors, national cemetery burial and burial benefits. If you cannot find it, the VA’s National Cemetery Scheduling Office (800-535-1117) can locate discharge records for the purpose of scheduling a burial, or you can request the records from the National Personnel Records Center at va.gov.
• Certified death certificates. Ask the funeral home for at least 10 copies. The VA, DFAS, life insurers, banks and pension plans each need one, and DFAS specifically needs a copy that states the cause or manner of death.
• Social Security number for the veteran, and for the surviving spouse and dependent children.
• VA file or claim number, printed on any VA benefit letters.
• Marriage certificate and children’s birth certificates, needed for survivor benefits.
• Life insurance policies, including VA-sponsored SGLI or VGLI coverage.
• Will, trust and property documents, including any VA home loan paperwork. Our guides to probate and living trusts versus wills explain what happens to the estate.

Step 3: Who To Call When A Veteran Dies

Report the death promptly. Federal payments made after the date of death have to be returned, and DFAS in particular will reclaim an entire month’s retired pay from a bank account, including a joint account, if it was deposited after the retiree died.

If the veteran was also a federal civilian employee or retiree, notify the Office of Personnel Management as well. Titan Concierge can take these calls off your plate: its funeral concierge services include reporting the death, obtaining death certificates and filing government and insurance claims on a family’s behalf.

Step 4: Apply For VA Burial Benefits

The VA pays a burial allowance to whoever paid for the funeral, as long as the veteran did not receive a dishonorable discharge and was receiving (or entitled to) VA compensation or pension, died in VA care, or died of a service-connected condition. The amounts are fixed by law and adjusted each October. For a veteran who dies on or after October 1, 2025, the VA pays:

The figures come from the VA’s burial allowance page, which lists the rate for each year of death. A surviving spouse listed on the veteran’s VA record does not need to file a claim; the VA pays the allowance automatically once it is notified of the death. Everyone else applies online at va.gov or by mailing VA Form 21P-530EZ with the death certificate and paid funeral receipts. For a non-service-connected death, the claim must be filed within two years of the burial. There is no deadline for service-connected deaths or for the plot and transportation allowances.

Step 5: Plan The Funeral And Request Military Funeral Honors

By federal law, every eligible veteran is entitled to military funeral honors at no cost, whether the burial is in a national, state or private cemetery. The Department of Defense provides at least two uniformed service members, the folding and presentation of the United States flag to the next of kin, and the playing of Taps. Some branches and veterans’ organizations add a rifle volley, a color guard or pallbearers. To request honors, simply tell your funeral director; they will contact the veteran’s branch of service and will need a copy of the DD-214. If you are planning the service yourself, the VA lists each branch’s honors request line at cem.va.gov, and groups such as the American Legion and the VFW can supply honor guards.

The rest of the planning is the same as for any funeral: setting dates for the visitation and service, choosing speakers, readings, music and pallbearers, and writing the obituary. Our guide to how to plan a military funeral covers the order of service and the traditions involved, and our military funeral etiquette guide explains what to wear and what to expect. If the veteran had a prepaid funeral plan, locate the contract first; many decisions and costs will already be settled. Families who want help comparing funeral homes, understanding prices and coordinating the details can use Titan Concierge’s funeral planning support, which is available around the clock and includes military honors and national cemetery arrangements.

Step 6: Choose A National, State Or Private Cemetery

Veterans with a discharge other than dishonorable, along with their spouses and dependent children, are eligible for burial in one of the VA’s 157 national cemeteries at no cost to the family. That includes the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, perpetual care and a Presidential Memorial Certificate. Cremated remains are accepted with the same honors as casketed remains. To schedule a burial, the funeral director or a family member calls the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 with the DD-214 and the veteran’s and spouse’s Social Security numbers; the VA asks you to name more than one cemetery choice in case the first has no space. State and tribal veterans cemeteries offer similar benefits with residency rules that vary by state. Arlington National Cemetery is run by the Army, not the VA, and its eligibility rules are far narrower, generally limited to those who died on active duty, military retirees and recipients of certain high decorations.

If the family prefers a private cemetery, the veteran still receives military honors, a free government headstone, marker or medallion, and the burial flag. Our guide to choosing a final resting place compares the options.

Step 7: Choose A Casket Or Urn

A casket or urn can be bought from the funeral home or from an outside seller, and under the FTC’s Funeral Rule the funeral home must accept a casket you bought elsewhere without charging a handling fee. Many families choose a casket that reflects the veteran’s service. Titan Casket’s military caskets carry branch emblems and embroidered head panels for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and can be delivered directly to the funeral home or national cemetery.

Step 8: Survivor Benefits To Look Into

Beyond the burial allowance, several ongoing benefits may be available to a veteran’s spouse, children or dependent parents. Which ones apply depends on how the veteran died and what they were receiving in life, so ask the VA and DFAS about each of these when you report the death.

• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a monthly, tax-free VA payment for survivors of veterans who died from a service-connected condition, or who were rated totally disabled for a set period before death.
• Survivors Pension is a needs-based VA payment for low-income surviving spouses and children of wartime veterans.
• Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) pays a monthly annuity to the beneficiary of a military retiree who enrolled. DFAS mails the claim form (DD 2656-7) once the death is reported.
• Arrears of pay. DFAS pays the retiree’s final pro-rated month of retired pay to the designated beneficiary on submission of SF 1174.
• Social Security pays a one-time $255 death payment to an eligible spouse or child, and monthly survivor benefits based on the veteran’s work record.
• Life insurance. SGLI and VGLI claims go through the Office of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance; private policies go to the insurer.
• Health care and education. Survivors may qualify for CHAMPVA or continued TRICARE, and for VA education benefits under the Fry Scholarship or DEA program.

Step 9: Return VA Equipment And Settle The Estate

Hospital beds, wheelchairs, ramps, hearing aids and other equipment issued by the VA belong to the VA. Call the Prosthetics department of the VA medical center that issued them to arrange a pickup. Equipment the family bought privately can be donated to a local veterans’ organization or council on aging. Then turn to the estate: close or retitle bank accounts, contact the VA home loan servicer if there is a mortgage, cancel subscriptions and handle the veteran’s digital accounts. Our general guide to what to do when someone dies covers the remaining steps that apply to every family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who do you call first when a veteran dies?
Call the person who can pronounce the death (hospice, the care facility or 911), then a funeral home. Once you have the DD-214 and a death certificate, call the VA at 800-827-1000 and, for military retirees, DFAS at 800-321-1080.

Does the VA pay for a veteran’s funeral?
Partly. For deaths on or after October 1, 2025, the VA pays $1,002 toward the funeral and $1,002 toward a plot for a non-service-connected death, and up to $2,000 for a service-connected death. Burial in a national cemetery, the headstone, the flag and military honors are free, but the funeral home’s services are not covered.

Is every veteran entitled to military funeral honors?
Yes, any veteran who served on active duty or in the Selected Reserve and was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable is entitled to honors, which at minimum include two uniformed service members, flag folding and presentation, and Taps.

How long do I have to claim VA burial benefits?
Two years from the date of burial for a non-service-connected death. There is no time limit for service-connected deaths or for the plot and transportation allowances.

Have questions about arranging a veteran’s funeral? Titan Casket is here to help you get the funeral you want at a fair price, and Titan Concierge provides funeral planning services for families who would rather have an expert handle the calls and paperwork.