Veteran Death Benefits For Funerals & Family

Factors Determining Veteran Funeral Benefits

In case your loved one who passed away was a Veteran, then you may be entitled to receive some form of death benefit which includes an allowance for the funeral expenses as well as tax-exempt VA death benefits for the surviving spouse and children. Some of the factors that determine the eligibility as well as the amount of benefit are:

1. Was the Veteran on active duty when he or she died or was their death due to a service-related injury or disease?
2. If the death was non-service related, then was the Veteran hospitalized for a service-related injury or disability at the time of death? 
3. Did the Veteran receive anything other than an honorable discharge?
4. Was the Veteran receiving monetary benefits from the Veterans Administration (VA) at the time of death?
5. The costs for transporting the deceased may be paid for or partially reimbursed if the Veteran is buried in a VA National Cemetery.

Expense Allowances For Funerals And Burials

The Veteran Administration (VA) automatically transfers funds to the surviving spouse for the burial and funeral expenses since 2014. However, in case the spouse is not paid or if they have also passed away, then the following family members can file a formal claim:

1. The Veteran’s children
2. The Veteran’s parents
3. The executor of the Veteran’s estate
4. The survivor of a legal union with the Veteran if there is state documentation of the relationship.

The veterans who are eligible for burial in one of the 136 National Cemeteries in the US, also receive the following allowances:

1. A gravesite if there is space available in the desired cemetery
2. The opening and closing of the grave
3. Perpetual care
4. A grave marker or headstone
5. Burial flag
6. Presidential Memorial Certificate

Veteran Death Benefits For The Family

Soldiers make the supreme sacrifice for their country in the line of duty.  Honoring their sacrifice, the US military aims to take care of their family members. Thus, when a Veteran dies, the military provides many allowances to their surviving family members including parents, spouse, and children. These benefits include

Under the parent’s DIC, foster, adoptive or biological parents are provided with funds, given that they earn below a certain income threshold.

Here, tax-free funds are given to a low-income spouse or unmarried child of a veteran who has had war-time service. However, the pension stops if the spouse remarries. This is also known as the Death Pension.

There are majorly two programs –Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program (DEA) and Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship, with different eligibility criteria. 

The VA helps surviving as well as Veterans killed in the line of duty or due to a service-related injury to “buy, build, repair, retain, or adapt a home”.  Surviving spouses are also offered a reduction in the interest rate of the home loan.

Under the DIC, tax-free funds are provided to spouses and children, irrespective of their income.

In order for children to be eligible for benefits, they must either be under 18 years old or be between the ages of 18 and 23, while being enrolled in a CA approved college program. The conditions that the Veterans have to satisfy are the same as those for funeral allowances.

A Few Other Veteran Death Benefits

There are several other benefits that you can find out about upon visiting your local VA Vet Center. Some examples include

1. Same month pension benefit.

The surviving spouse can get the receipt of the pension of the month of the death of the veteran if that veteran was receiving a pension during the time of his or her death.

2. Health Care Benefits.

Surviving spouses and children are eligible for a number of health care benefits with different eligibility requirements.

3. Financial counseling and Will preparation.

If the veteran had certain life insurance programs, then their survivors may be eligible for lifetime benefits of these services.