Veteran Burial Benefits in the Bay Area — What Families Should Know

If your loved one served in the U.S. military, they may be entitled to burial benefits that significantly reduce — or eliminate — cemetery costs. Here's what Bay Area veterans' families need to know.

Federal VA Burial Benefits

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides burial benefits for eligible veterans at no cost to the family. These include:

• Burial in a national cemetery: Eligible veterans, and often their spouses and dependent children, can be buried in a VA national cemetery at no cost to the family. This includes the burial plot/niche, opening and closing fees, and liner.
• Government-furnished headstone or marker: The VA provides a headstone, flat marker, or upright marker — at no cost — for eligible veterans buried in any cemetery, including private ones.
• Presidential Memorial Certificate: A certificate signed by the President of the United States honoring the veteran's service. Requested through the VA; free of charge.
• Burial allowance: A monetary allowance toward funeral and burial costs for veterans who die of service-connected conditions, or who were receiving VA pension or compensation at time of death. Amount varies; check current VA rates at va.gov.
• Military funeral honors: By law, any veteran is entitled to military funeral honors — at minimum, folding and presenting the American flag and the playing of "Taps" (live or recorded).

Bay Area National Cemeteries

Eligible Bay Area veterans have access to several national and state veterans cemeteries:

• San Francisco National Cemetery — Presidio of San Francisco; limited to veterans who died before a certain date (currently closed to new interments except for certain cases). Check current availability with the VA.
• Golden Gate National Cemetery — San Bruno; currently accepting interments for eligible veterans
• Sacramento Valley National Cemetery — Dixon, CA; open; accepts cremated remains and full body burial
• California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery — Seaside, CA

How to Apply for VA Burial Benefits

Your funeral director can assist with VA benefit applications, but here's the basic process:

1. Gather documentation: DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) — the most critical document. If lost, request a replacement from the National Archives (archives.gov).
2. Contact the national cemetery: Call the VA National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 to request burial in a national cemetery. For local private cemeteries, contact them directly.
3. Request honors: Contact your funeral director or the DoD Military Funeral Honors at 1-877-645-4667.
4. File for burial allowance: Submit VA Form 21P-530 (Application for Burial Benefits) within 2 years of the veteran's burial.

Preplanning for Veterans: Why It Still Matters

Even with VA burial benefits, preplanning remains valuable for veterans and their families:

• Documents wishes regarding the funeral home service (separate from cemetery)
• Ensures family knows about veteran status and how to access benefits
• Stores the DD-214 location/copy so it can be found quickly after death
• Addresses companion burial — spouses may also want to be buried in the same national cemetery
• Handles everything the VA does not cover (transportation, embalming, casket/urn, chapel service)

Frequently Asked Questions