The matter of death and dying is still taboo for some people, but for those who are in service, especially those who risk their lives, it is important for them and their family to understand the benefits that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs have for them in terms of death and burial.
In honor of the Nation’s deceased veterans, the Veterans Affairs (VA) offers headstones and markers as a monument to mark the grave of an eligible veteran. A Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC), which is a gold-embossed certification with the veterans name and bearing the signature of the current U.S. President, can also be provided by the VA for those eligible. An American flag can also be provided for the burial, to be draped above the eligible veteran’s casket. Most veterans and some dependents can be buried in a VA National Cemetery.
To help somehow financially help relieve the family, the VA generally pays a burial allowance of $2,000 for veterans who passed away from service-related causes. For other veterans, the VA can pay $300 for the burial and funeral expenses and another $300 for the burial plot. There is no time limit for the family to claim reimbursement for a service-related death. Otherwise, there stands a two-year time limit for claiming funeral- and burial-related expenses.
For more information on Burial Benefits, visit their website at www.cem.va.gov.