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Facts To Know When Thinking About Veterans Funeral Benefits
Veterans funeral benefits defray the costs of a lot more besides burials. The VA has a nice set of amenities and allowances to help make it easier for military families during this difficult time. The deceased veteran's family is able to make proper arrangements and give a decent burial to honor the death of a person who put country ahead of self.
Everything the government offers in this regard is divided into two parts. One deals with the costs associated with burials and funerals. The other one comes courtesy of the National Cemetery Administration, which provides gravesites in national cemeteries and cares for the upkeep.
The cause of death determines how much the VA will be able to shell out in reimbursements. In cases where the death is not related to military service, the families are entitled for two payments. One $700 payment covers the cost of ceremonies and rites. A second payment is an allowance for plot-interment of up to $700 if the grave is not in a national cemetery.
If the death has come about as a result of disabilities and/or injuries sustained during military service, VA is authorized to reimburse as much as $2,000. This will be provided as a single payment instead of two separate reimbursements. The expenses that come afterwards, including the gravesite upkeep, do not have to be borne by the family.
The National Cemetery Administration has 131 national cemeteries available. Any one may serve as the last resting place for a deceased veteran, who is also given a marker or headstone along with a burial flag. The families are given Presidential Memorial Certificates, and grave opening and closing along with perpetual care is provided to the family at no cost.
Note that veterans funeral benefits are not available for dependents, even though they are entitled to a grave in the same cemetery as the veteran. The government does, however, arrange for inscribing their names and birth/death dates on the veteran's headstone. All this is done irrespective of the order of their deaths, so everything is arranged for even though advance reservations are not allowed.
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