Who Is Eligible?

You may be eligible for a VA burial allowance if:

• you paid for a veteran’s burial or funeral  AND
• you have not been reimbursed by another government agency or some other source, such as the deceased veteran’s employer  AND
• the veteran was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

In addition, at least one of the following conditions must be met:

• the veteran died because of a service-related disability  OR
• the veteran was receiving VA pension or compensation at the time of death  OR
• the veteran was entitled to receive VA pension or compensation, but decided not to reduce his/her military retirement or disability pay  OR
• the veteran died in a VA hospital, in a nursing home under VA contract, or while in an approved state nursing home.

Pre-need eligibility for burial in a VA cemetery

You can apply to find out in advance if you can be buried in a VA national cemetery. This is called a pre-need determination of eligibility—and it can help make the burial planning process easier for your family members in their time of need. Apply Here

Indigent Burials

We can provide limited assistance for indigent burial expenses (up to $1,000).  Applications must be submitted through the funeral home and must meet the same scrutiny and requirements as a financial assistance application.

How Much Does VA Pay?

Service-Related Death: 

VA will pay up to $2,000 toward burial expenses for deaths on or after September 11, 2001.  VA will pay up to $1,500 for deaths prior to September 10, 2001.  If the veteran is buried in a VA national cemetery, some or all of the cost of transporting the deceased may be reimbursed.

Nonservice-Related Death: 

VA will pay up to $300 toward burial and funeral expenses, and a $300 plot-interment allowance for deaths on or after December 1, 2001.  The plot-interment allowance is $150 for deaths prior to December 1, 2001.  If the death happened while the veteran was in a VA hospital or under VA contracted nursing home care, some or all of the costs for transporting the deceased’s remains may be reimbursed.

Burial Benefits may include:

• Burial in national cemeteries
• Presidential Memorial Certificates
• Military funeral honors
• Burial allowance
• Flags to drape caskets of deceased veterans
• Headstones and markers

Military Honors:

Military funeral honors include:

• • The playing of “Taps”
  • A rifle detail
  • A color guard
  • Uniformed service members who present the burial flag

·        Military funeral honors, as organized under the Department of Defense military funeral honors program, “Honoring Those Who Served,” will be arranged through the funeral home. If you are not utilizing the services of a funeral home, cemetery staff will be glad to arrange honors on your behalf. Each Veteran is entitled, at a minimum, to a two-person honors team, which will perform the military funeral honors. Military funeral honors consists of the playing of TAPS by a ceremonial bugle, folding of the American Flag, and the presentation of the flag to the next of kin. The Dayton National Cemetery is proud to have their very own Honor Squad available to augment the Department of Defense personnel performing military funeral honors, by firing a 3-round rifle volley.  The Dayton National Cemetery Honor Squad is scheduled automatically for each veteran service.  Families who do not wish to have the rifle salute performed or families who would prefer to have their own Veteran Service Organization (VSO) perform the rifle salute need only to notify their funeral director or cemetery personnel at the time of arrangements.  Please contact the cemetery for any questions regarding the honor squad details.

For the Dayton National Cemetery call 937-268-2221 or visit https://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/dayton.asp

To Schedule a Burial:

Fax all discharge documentation to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-866-900-6417 and follow-up with a phone call to 1-800-535-1117