Reference

Burial benefit reference

Choose the answers that fit and see the VA burial and plot allowance figures for that date of death, the filing deadline, what a national cemetery includes, and the Social Security and FEMA lines. Every benefit is decided by the agency that pays it.

Did the person serve in the US armed forces? Discharge Date of death Which of these applies? Place of burial A surviving spouse who lived with the person? A child who may qualify (17 or younger, a student 18 or 19, or disabled before 22)?

Assumptions behind the numbers

VA figures are from VA's burial allowance page, last updated October 7, 2026 and read on 2026-10-17. VA changes the non-service-connected amounts each October 1; check the page before you rely on a figure.
Non-service-connected amounts before January 5, 2023 depended on whether the person died in a VA facility; this page shows VA's table only from that date on, and says so for earlier deaths.
The headstone or marker allowance table on VA's page has no row for October 1, 2026 yet; the latest row shown is $441 for deaths on or after October 1, 2025.
The $255 Social Security payment and its 2-year deadline are from SSA's lump-sum death payment page, read on 2026-10-17.
FEMA funeral assistance applies only to a death caused directly or indirectly by a federally declared disaster; FEMA's COVID-19 program is closed.
Nothing here decides eligibility. VA, SSA and FEMA decide, on the documents you send.