Veterans · Final Expense

What Does the VA Actually Pay for a Veteran's Funeral?

By Ali El-Hallani, Principal, Michigan Benefit Services

We are grateful to every veteran who served. Many veterans and their families believe the VA will cover the full cost of a funeral. The VA does provide valuable burial benefits, but in most cases they do not cover everything. Here is what the VA provides, and where the gaps usually are.

What the VA provides in a national cemetery

For an eligible veteran buried in a VA national cemetery, the VA provides at no cost: a gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate. An eligible spouse can be buried with the veteran at no cost.

What the VA does not cover

According to the VA, any item or service obtained from a funeral home or cremation provider is at the family's expense. That generally includes the funeral home's services, the casket or urn, embalming or cremation, a viewing or memorial service, flowers, and an obituary. These costs often add up to thousands of dollars.

The VA burial allowance

Some families can also apply for a VA burial allowance to help with costs. For deaths on or after October 1, 2026, the VA lists a burial allowance of $1,032 and a plot allowance of $1,032. A different amount may apply when a death is service-connected.

Not every veteran qualifies. The allowance generally applies when, for example, the death was service-connected, the veteran died while receiving VA care, or the veteran was receiving VA pension or compensation at the time of death. The VA reimburses the person who paid the costs, so the family usually has to pay first and wait for repayment.

How a final expense policy can fill the gap

• Helps pay the costs the VA does not: funeral home services, casket or cremation, a service, and other final bills.
• Paid directly to your beneficiary: your family decides how to use the money.
• No reimbursement wait: the claim is paid by the insurance company once it is approved.
• Not tied to VA eligibility rules: once your policy is in force, the benefit does not depend on VA criteria such as a service-connected death.
• Coverage for your spouse: a spouse can have a policy of their own.

VA benefits and a final expense policy work best together. Use the VA benefits you have earned, and let a final expense policy help with the rest so your family is not left with the bill.

Michigan Benefit Services is a private insurance agency and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. VA benefit information comes from VA.gov, Veterans Burial Allowance and VA National Cemetery Administration, Burial Benefits, accessed October 2026. VA benefits and eligibility can change; contact the VA or visit VA.gov to confirm your benefits. Insurance coverage is subject to underwriting approval, and benefits, waiting periods, and claim timing vary by carrier and product.