Veterans Burial & Cremation Benefits in California | 2025

Written by: Marissa Bergen, Healthcare Industry Writer, and Troy Centazzo, Founder and CEO of Opal Cremation

Key Takeaways

• Veterans may be eligible for free burial or interment in a VA cemetery, with services such as headstones, military honors, and perpetual care
• Surviving spouses and dependents may also qualify for financial and service-related benefits
• Cremated remains can be buried or placed in VA cemeteries; cremation itself is not paid for by the VA
• Preplanning helps secure benefits and space in advance, reducing stress on surviving family members
• Opal Cremation helps veterans’ families apply for benefits and arrange dignified, all-inclusive cremation

Table of Contents

• VA Death & Memorial Benefits Overview
• Eligibility Requirements by Benefit Type
• How to Apply for VA Benefits
• Benefits of Applying in Advance
• Cremation & VA Cemeteries
• Southern California VA Cemeteries
• How Opal Helps Veterans’ Families
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Additional Resources

Opal Cremation understands that claiming death, cremation, and burial benefits can be confusing. We are here to guide you every step of the way. We also offer affordable direct cremation in Los Angeles, making it easy for families in their time of grief.

Call us anytime at 888-714-8486 or send us a message and we’ll get right back to you.

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VA Death & Memorial Benefits Overview

Veterans who have served this country are owed a debt of gratitude for their sacrifice and service. To honor our deceased veterans, the U.S. Government has approved certain allowances, benefits, and free memorial items. These apply whether they are still serving or not.

Q: What’s the difference between VA burial benefits and the burial allowance?

A burial allowance is a cash reimbursement to help cover funeral or cremation expenses. Other burial benefits include a gravesite, headstone, flag, and honors, which are provided in kind.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs burial benefits are governed by 38 U.S. Code § 2303, which outlines funeral expense reimbursements and eligibility for burial allowances in national cemeteries.

Benefits include the following:

Burial & Interment Benefits

• Gravesite in a national cemetery
• Opening and closing of the grave
• Headstone or niche marker- Families can choose from upright headstones, which are typically made of granite or marble, flat markers, which are available in granite, marble, or bronze, and niche markers, which are bronze markers used for cremated remains. Choose the one best suited to your personal tastes and cemetery regulations.
• Medallions – Medallions may be affixed to privately purchased headstones to signify the deceased’s status as a veteran or Medal of Honor recipient. They are available in small, medium, and large sizes
• Perpetual care
• Military funeral honors (taps, flag presentation)
• Presidential Memorial Certificate
• Burial flag
• Transportation of remains to a VA cemetery
• Unmarked Graves: The VA honors the legacy of fallen soldiers by placing a headstone or marker on their gravesites

Photo Credit: New York State Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS)

Cremation-Related Benefits

• Cremation costs are not covered, but burial of cremated remains is
• VA provides the same burial rights for cremated remains as for casketed remains
• Columbarium niches are available at many cemeteries

Financial Benefits

• Burial allowance: If your family prefers the burial to be at a private cemetery instead, the VA may cover the cost. Up to $2,000 if death was service-connected
• Transportation reimbursement for burial at VA cemetery
• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
• Survivor’s pension and educational assistance
• TRICARE for eligible survivors

Survivor Benefits

In addition to death, burial, cremation, and memorial benefits, you and your family may be eligible for survivor benefits. These may include:

• Monthly Payments: Such as a Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) or a Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
• Death Gratuity: A one-time payment made to the survivors of service members who die in duty
• Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA): Provides educational benefits to spouses and children of military members who died, are disabled, or are MIA
• TRICARE offers comprehensive health benefits to survivors

Expanded VA Burial Benefits in 2023-24

In 2023, the VA significantly expanded burial benefits, which are shown below.

“Expanding burial benefits means we are able to ensure veterans are honored in their final resting place and assist their families, caregivers, and survivors during the difficult time of their loved one’s passing.”

— VA Under Secretary for Benefits Joshua Jacobs in the VFW press release, “VA Expands Burial Benefits for Veterans”.

Higher Flat-Rate Burial and Plot Allowances

• The VA increased the non-service-connected burial and funeral allowance to a standard flat rate, simplifying the application process.
  • For example:
    • Burial allowance (non-service-connected): Increased to $948
    • Plot or interment allowance: Increased to $948
    • These values are adjusted annually for inflation.

No Proof of Payment Requirement

• Previously, families had to submit receipts and proof of payment to be reimbursed.
• Now, no receipts are required—allowing easier access to burial allowances.

Automated Payment Process

• Families may be eligible to receive automatic payments for burial benefits if the VA has sufficient information (e.g., the veteran’s service record and death certificate are on file).
• This has helped reduce delays and paperwork burdens for survivors.

Streamlined Applications

• VA Form 21P-530 has been simplified, and some families may not need to complete the form at all under the automated process.
• Online applications via VA.gov are now easier and faster to complete.

In a Veterans of Foreign Wars press release dated May 10, 2024, VFW reports:

“VA Under Secretary for Benefits Joshua Jacobs noted … that in fiscal year 2022, VA delivered more than 84,000 burial benefits to families” The expansion has allowed the VA to deliver more than 84,000 benefits to families.

The National Cemetery Administration launched the VETERANS LEGACY MEMORIAL (VLM) in 2019. It’s the first online memorial platform that honors nearly 5 million veterans interred in VA national cemeteries. It provides:

• A permanent online memorial page for each veteran
• Ability for family, friends, and the public to:
• Leave tributes, photos, and comments
• View service history and burial location

Find Your Loved One Here

Eligibility Requirements by Benefit Type

General Eligibility

The veteran must have received an honorable or other-than-dishonorable discharge and meet one of the following:

• Died due to a service-connected disability
• Was receiving VA pension or compensation
• Died in a VA or VA-contracted facility
• Was entitled to military retirement pay
• Had a pending VA claim at time of death

More Detailed Eligibility Requirements for National Guard and Reservists

Other requirements vary by your position in the military, as follows:

National Guard Members

The veterans must meet one or more of these requirements:

• They were entitled to retirement pay at their time of death, or
• They served in a federal status for the period they were called to serve

Military Reservists

For Military Reservists, at least one of the following must be true to qualify:

• They were entitled to retirement pay at their time of death, or
• They had been called to active duty for purposes other than training

National Guard members or Reservists who only performed limited active-duty service for training are not eligible. However, if they died during or because of the training, they do qualify for these benefits.

Eligible Beneficiaries

Close relatives are also entitled to be buried in a National Cemetery alongside the veteran at no cost. Spouse and dependent benefits are available to the family even if they die before the Veteran.

Eligible family members include:

• Surviving spouses (including same-sex marriages)
• Surviving legal partners from recognized unions
• Minor or dependent children
• Unmarried adult children with disabilities

Ineligible Cases

• Veterans dishonorably discharged
• Deaths while serving a prison sentence or as a member of Congress
• Beneficiaries receiving similar benefits from other programs

The table below summarizes the eligibility requirements for VA death benefits.

Q: Can a spouse or dependent receive benefits if the veteran isn’t buried in a VA cemetery?
Yes. Spouses and eligible dependents can often still receive headstones, markers, and burial allowance even if buried in a private cemetery.
Q: Does a dishonorable discharge disqualify a veteran from burial benefits?
Yes. Generally, veterans must have an honorable or general discharge to be eligible.

To see if you qualify, visit the Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs website.

How to Apply for VA Benefits

Apply for Burial & Interment in a VA Cemetery (at time of need):

Veterans and their families must apply for burial and other memorial services available to service men and women. When Opal assists families to apply for benefits, we typically start by contacting the National Cemetery Scheduling Office, or NCSO.

The staff there could not be more helpful and dedicated to assisting Veterans and their families. When we reached out to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office recently (July 2025) as we prepared this guide about Veterans benefits, they shared the instructions below with us.

General Information

• Call: National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117, Option 1
• Hours: NCSO hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 7:00am to 6:30pm and Saturday from 8:00am to 4:30pm CST. Our office is closed on Sundays.

Information to Collect Prior to Contacting the NCSO

The NCSO requests that the family collect and have available the following information prior to calling:

• Cemetery of choice
• First or subsequent burial (Veteran or dependent already interred in a national cemetery)
• If subsequent interment, who is already interred and either their SSN, DOB and date of death, name of person that will be interred at the national cemetery and national cemetery name.
• For All interments you will need Decedent’s full name, gender, SSN, date of death, date of birth and relationship (Veteran or dependent)
• Contact Info (funeral director’s name as well as the name, address, and E-mail address of the funeral home)
• Next of kin information (name, relationship to deceased, SSN, phone number, address)
• ZIP code of decedent at time of death
• County of decedent at time of death
• Type of burial (casket or cremation)
• Marital status of deceased (if Veteran is interred in a private cemetery, must provide documentation of marital status of spouse at time of death)
• Casket size/liner size/urn size/urn vault size
• Is surviving spouse a Veteran and if so any military documents for the spouse
• Did the Veteran have any disabled, unmarried adult children who were deemed incapable of self-support before adulthood
• Any disabled, unmarried adult children for future interment (must provide name and date of birth). If requesting immediate interment (must provide marital status, a statement from the doctor and family stating type of illness (mental or physical), date of onset of illness and statement to the incapability of self-support).
• Military Honors requested

Contact Information

Veterans, their family members, or a representative from a funeral home should submit military documents, death certificates, and other documents required for interment to:

• Email: [email protected]
• Fax: 866-900-6417

We cannot recommend more strongly that you locate your DD214 information prior to the application process. The DD214 is the “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty” and is issued to all U.S. military veterans upon discharge or other separation from active duty service. Depending on a Veteran’s year of discharge, the DD214 long-form copy (Member 4, or Service Copy 2/3) is required because it shows designation of service and discharge status.

If you can’t find a Veteran’s DD214, you can obtain one online here:

• National Archives eVetRecs System

Apply for Financial Reimbursement

• VA Form 21P-530 (Application for Burial Benefits)
• Must be submitted within 2 years of the death

Apply for Memorial Items

• Headstone or Marker: VA Form 40-1330
• Burial Flag: VA Form 27-2008
• Medallion: VA Form 40-1330M
• Presidential Certificate: VA Form 40-0247

Relatives can apply through a similar process. They must submit VA Form 40-10007 to initiate the burial and contact the funeral home at the time of need.

Need help now? Call us anytime at 888-714-8486 for helpful information on guides, benefits for families, and financial benefits or send us a message and we’ll get right back to you.

Send us a Message

Benefits of Preplanning

Veterans and family members can find out in advance if they’re eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery. This is called a pre-need determination of eligibility.

We at Opal strongly recommend that Veterans and their families apply for this determination before someone passes. The benefits are many:

• The burial process will be much easier for the family at the time of need
• Much of the required paperwork will be completed, streamlining the request for VA burial and benefits process
• Veterans can choose their cemetery of choice and preferences for burial markers and other options during the prequalification process

Before applying, we recommend you gather the following information:

• DD214 separation document
• Your personal information, including Social Security number and date of birth
• Your military history or the military history of the Veteran or service member you’re connected to
• The name of your preferred VA national cemetery

You’ll need to complete the VA Pre-Need Application (form VA Form 40-10007) for the preneed determination, which can be completed online here.

Cremation Options with VA Burial

Veterans Death Benefits with a Cremation Service

When most people think of VA death benefits, they often think of being buried in a VA ceremony, but cremation is also possible. With this option, the veteran is cremated, and the ashes are buried or placed in an above-ground structure (columbarium) within the VA cemetery.

Families that choose cremation in Los Angeles can decide between direct cremation and traditional cremation. With direct cremation, the body is cremated with no prior ceremony.

A traditional cremation closely resembles a traditional funeral with a casket and viewing, but the body is cremated rather than buried.

Many survivors prefer this option because the cost of cremation in California is relatively low, and the process is more environmentally friendly. The streamlined process simplifies burial arrangements while relatives are grieving. They can arrange a memorial ceremony later, when they are better prepared.

The VA does not cover the cost of cremation, but it provides related services like a marker, gravesite, and opening and closing of the grave, if necessary.

VA cemeteries in Southern CA and elsewhere offer niches, which many families prefer. Each has requirements about the maximum size of the urn that will be interred. Find out these requirements before selecting an urn to inter when working with your cremation service provider. We’ve helped families find a replacement urn to meet specifications of the cemetery.

VA Cemeteries in Southern California

There are four VA national cemeteries in Southern California:

Each of them has their own options and availability for burials and interments.

Here’s a clearer breakdown of interment and availability status for each of the four VA national cemeteries as of the published date of this article:

Los Angeles National Cemetery

Photo Credit: National Cemetery Administration

Current Availability:

• Closed to new casket burials since the 1970’s, except for those joining existing gravesites (e.g., spouses)

Los Angeles National Cemetery opened a new columbarium in October 2019 exclusively for cremation interments. This new columbarium is located on Constitution Ave. on the west side of I-405 and is separate from the historic grounds of the storied National Cemetery.

This is the first time additional burial space – or, in this case cremation niches – have become available at the cemetery since the 1970s. The cemetery opened with 10,000 niches, but plans to develop facilities for up to 90,000 new interments.

Riverside National Cemetery

Photo Credit: National Cemetery Administration

Current Availability:

• Open for both casket and cremation burials

Schedules burials Monday–Friday, with select weekend or holiday funerals for veterans KIA or for religious exceptions

Miramar National Cemetery (San Diego)

Photo Credit: National Cemetery Administration

Current Availability:

• Fully open for both casket and urn/columbarium burials

Visitation hours: daily from sunrise to sunset; office hours M–F 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. (closed federal holidays except Memorial Day)

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

Photo Credit: National Cemetery Administration

Current Availability:

• Closed to new interments except for subsequent burials in existing gravesites (e.g., spouse next to the deceased)
• Occasionally a niche becomes available via disinterment, but this is rare; contact cemetery directly at time of need

Summary Table

How Opal Cremation Supports Veterans’ Families

We have assisted many families to apply for Veterans’ benefits. These services are part of our cremation package. There is no additional charge for this assistance. Our team offers resources, helping you access VA benefits without the hassle and allowing you to focus on closure during this difficult time. Our Veterans assistance includes:

Opal’s services include:

• Generally helping the families of Veterans navigate the process of applying for available death benefits
• Helping families request DD214 military records
• Filing VA forms on your behalf
• Aligning cremation schedules with interment
• All-inclusive pricing that includes permits, certificates, and delivery

We provide affordable cremations in Los Angeles and Orange County and will guide you through the process. Our all-inclusive packages for direct cremation near me start at just $1295 and include the following:

• Paperwork processing: We will process all necessary paperwork, including the death certificate and cremation permit, limiting stress during the mourning period
• Care for the Remains: Our team stores remains safely and respectfully
• Coordinating Cremation: We will coordinate all aspects of cremation, so you have one less thing to worry about
• Returning Ashes: Opal expedites this process, ensuring you receive your loved one’s ashes promptly
• Planning Support: Our team will help you plan personalized services, providing a suitable send-off for your loved one
• Professional Guidance: We provide guidance on scattering laws and permits in California and free disposition permits, even months or years after death.
• Communication is Ongoing. Opal will answer your questions during and after the cremation process, providing the support you require.

With Opal, All Inclusive Means All Inclusive

Many licensed cremation providers advertise their services as all-inclusive. However, when families get the final bill, they discover hidden fees, including charges for permits, death certificates, transportation of the deceased, the urn, and memorial services, increasing costs by $200 to $400.

At Opal, we treat families with the respect they deserve during this difficult time. The price we quote is the price you pay. We will never charge hidden fees or surprise costs.

We understand losing a loved one is hard, but we will walk you through the process, providing support when you need it most. Our team can answer any questions you may have. We will provide the resources you require to access benefits and ensure a respectful send-off for your loved one.

Call us anytime at 888-714-8486 for helpful information on guides, benefits for families, and financial benefits or send us a message and we’ll get right back to you.

Send us a Message

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does the VA pay for cremation?
No. The VA does not pay for cremation but may reimburse related costs (e.g., transport, burial allowance). The burial allowance typically ranges from $300 to $2000, helping to cover some related costs. The administration covers up to $2000 towards burial expenses for deaths on or after Sept. 11, 2001, or up to $1500 for deaths before Sept. 11, 2001. It may cover some or all of the costs of transporting the body if the burial occurs in a VA national cemetery.

How long do I have to file for benefits?
As per the 3.1703 claims for burial benefits, survivors may file for VA funeral benefits no more than 2 years after their loved one’s death.

Can cremated remains be buried at a VA cemetery?
Yes. You can choose in-ground burial or columbarium placement.

Can a spouse be buried with the veteran?
Yes, at no cost, even if the spouse dies first.

What if discharge status is unclear?
Veterans are only eligible for benefits if they were discharged honorably. If you are uncertain of their discharge status, obtain their DD214 form, which should clear up any questions you may have.

How can I plan a funeral with military honors?
Planning a funeral with military honors requires contacting your local VA office. They may provide services like the presentation of the U.S. burial flag, the playing of taps, and the participation of at least two uniformed armed force members. If military honors are unavailable, the family may celebrate their loved one’s role in the military differently.

How can I access survivor benefits if I’m unsure about eligibility?
Visit the VA website to learn about eligibility for survivor benefits. It should provide information on eligibility criteria and required documents.

Additional Resources from Opal

Opal Guides

Veterans Resource Center

Who to Notify When Someone Dies | 2025 Opal Guide

What Is Direct Cremation?

Advance Planning for Healthcare & Cremation in California

Helpful Information for Veterans

VA Burial Benefits Main Page

Pre-Need Eligibility Form 40-10007

VA National Cemetery List

Application for Burial Benefits Form 21P-530