What Funeral and Burial Benefits are Offered for Veterans?
Did you know that there are many benefits that are offered to veterans and their families when it comes to paying for a funeral and burial? Planning final arrangements for a loved one is difficult, especially when faced with the significant costs that can arise. If you or your loved one has spent time serving our country, you can take advantage of some of the programs that are intended to help families like yours. At your funeral home near Celebration, FL, you can find out about all the different benefits and services that you and your family may qualify for.
For any veteran, and sometimes even their spouses or children, the VA will provide a burial plot, grave opening and closing, grave liner, and headstone at any VA cemetery. Veterans who have been honorably discharged from the military qualify for military honors to be performed at their funeral, as well. This will include a chaplain speaking, a flag-folding presentation, and the playing of TAPS. A rifle guard is an option as well. If the person is a military retiree with 20 years or more of service, an active-duty honor guard from their branch will be requested.
If your loved one received any medals for their service and has misplaced them, these can be reordered. Your funeral home will be able to help you make all the arrangements, fill out the correct paperwork, and ensure that all legal requirements are met. Additionally, they can help you obtain social security, life insurance, and any other benefits that you are entitled to. If your loved one died during active-duty service, you may be eligible for significant assistance with paying for the funeral and burial. If not, the VA may still be able to provide you with some funds to help with funeral costs.
In addition to these things, a headstone or grave marker will also be provided to veterans that are buried in a national or state cemetery. This marker will include their name, date of birth and death, and their branch of service. Additional information, such as wars served in, Purple Heart, military grade or rank, and valor awards may also be inscribed on the headstone. If the veteran has been cremated and is to be interred in a columbarium niche, a marker will be provided for this as well.
When a veteran passes away, whether it is during active duty or if they are retired, our country wants to make sure that they and their family are taken care of when it comes to their final arrangements. It may seem daunting to consider applying for these different benefits, especially if you don’t even know where to begin. Fortunately, your funeral home near Celebration, FL, has employees that are trained in handling these matters. They will make sure that every aspect is taken care of so that you can focus on being with your family and mourning your loss. You can be sure that your loved one will have a proper military funeral, and you won’t have to stress about all the details and logistics.
