Veteran Programs · Benefits & Discounts DirectoryPrivate information service — not a government agency
Burials & Memorials
Will and Burial Assistance Program
This is a document and benefits kit, not an insurance policy. It puts your will, your final wishes, and your DD-214 in one folder — and the burial benefits it points you to were already paid for by your service.
Eligibility Check3 questions · no cost
Did you receive your DD-214?
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Are you receiving any disability, SSI, SSDI?
You Will Need Your DD-214
Your DD-214 is the discharge document that proves your service, and you will be asked for it to obtain any Veteran benefit. If you cannot find yours, you can request a free copy from the National Archives.
Request My DD-214 from the National Archives →← Go back and restartCongratulations!You're Eligible For Free Will and Burial Assistance.Enter your information below to send your free application and see if you get selected for free service!No obligation.
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None of these benefits are granted by us. We help you assemble the paperwork your family will be asked for and show you where the official VA process lives.
Who may qualify
Veterans, spouses, dependent children
Who can request it
You, or a surviving spouse on your behalf
Document needed
DD-214 (this is where you keep it)
No cost to check
01
Overview
This record covers two things that belong in the same folder: a simple will that says who speaks for you and who gets what, and the service paperwork your family will be asked for within hours of your death. Burial benefits are tied to your service record, so the DD-214 is the document everything else hangs on.
An American flag standing beside a Veteran headstone
02
What This Program Covers
It is one folder your family can pick up and use on the hardest day of their life:
- A simple will that says who gets what, and who speaks for you
- Your final wishes written down — burial or cremation, service, music, who to call
- A safe place for your DD-214, the single document your family will be asked for first
- Information on VA burial benefits, including burial in a national cemetery for eligible Veterans
- How to request a government headstone or grave marker
- How to request the burial flag and the Presidential Memorial Certificate
- Details on military funeral honors, including Taps and the folding of the flag
03
Eligibility Requirements
Burial benefits are tied to your service record. The basics:
- You served with an Honorable or General Discharge
- Your family will need your DD-214 at the time of need — the kit is where you keep it
- Spouses and dependent children may be eligible for burial in a national cemetery
- Surviving spouses can request many of these benefits on a Veteran's behalf
- Any age, any era of service — planning early is the point
Families are asked for the DD-214 within hours, often while they are still in shock. The Veterans who plan ahead spare their families that search.
04
Official VA Programs
Every benefit below is real, already earned, and requested through the VA. This record is where the paperwork for them starts:
Burial in a VA national cemeteryThe gravesite, the opening and closing, the vault, and the care of the grave forever — at no cost to an eligible Veteran's family. Eligible spouses and dependent children can be buried there too. Scheduling office: 800-535-1117.Pre-need eligibility decisionApply now, before the time of need, and the VA sends a letter confirming burial eligibility — so your family never has to prove your service on the worst day of their lives. This is the single most useful piece of paper in this record.Headstone, marker, or medallionFurnished by the VA at no cost — including for a grave in a private cemetery. Applications: 800-697-6947.Burial flag and Presidential Memorial CertificateBoth free to request. The flag drapes the casket or urn; the certificate is signed by the sitting President and honors the Veteran's service.Burial allowanceA payment toward funeral, burial, and transportation costs for eligible Veterans. Filed with the VA — the benefits line at 800-827-1000 walks families through it.
Questions
Questions Veterans Ask First
Why does the DD-214 matter so much?It proves your service. Without it, burial benefits and honors can be delayed at the worst possible moment. Keep a copy in the kit and tell your family where it is.Is a simple will enough?For many Veterans, yes. A clear will beats no will every time. If your situation is complicated, a lawyer can build on it.Can my spouse be buried with me?Eligible spouses and dependent children may be buried in a national cemetery with the Veteran. The kit explains how it works.Is this a VA service?No. This is a private information service. We help you gather what you need and point you to the official VA process.
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