Phone: 1-800-827-1000. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8am–9pm ET.
Have ready:
Your loved one’s VA file number or Social Security number
Branch of service
Dates of service
Discharge papers DD-214 if available
The VA offers several benefits that surviving family members frequently don’t know to claim.
Burial benefits — up to $2,000 for service-connected death; $1,002 for non-service-connected death, plus a separate $1,002 plot or interment allowance if not buried in a national cemetery.
Headstone or marker allowance — up to $441 if the VA did not already furnish one
Burial in a VA national cemetery — including the gravesite, opening and closing, and a government headstone or marker — is always free
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) — for surviving spouses
Survivor Pension — for low-income surviving spouses
Educational benefits — for dependent children
These benefits are not automatic. You have to apply for them. Many families never do — and leave thousands of dollars unclaimed.
A warning: you may see ads or calls claiming a “$25,000 VA burial benefit.” This is false — it’s a documented scam targeting grieving military families. No such benefit exists. Never give payment information or personal details to anyone claiming otherwise. Verify any benefit claim directly with the VA at 1-800-827-1000.
You don’t need to follow this word for word. It’s a guide — not a performance.
Ask specifically: “Are there burial benefits I should apply for?” “As the surviving [spouse/child], am I eligible for any ongoing compensation?” “What is the application process and what documents do I need?” “Is there a time limit on when I need to apply?”
Write everything down. Get a reference number. Ask for anything in writing if possible.
Date and time of call
Name of representative
Reference number
Benefits you may be eligible for
Documents required to apply
Application deadlines if any
Any follow-up appointments scheduled