Airmen and Guardians who die while on active duty, Veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable and members of reserve components may be eligible for the following Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits: (1) burial in a VA national cemetery; (2) government-furnished headstone, marker or medallion; (3) Presidential Memorial Certificate; (4) burial flag; and in some cases, (5) Some Veterans may also be eligible for Burial Allowances. The service members' surviving spouse, dependent children, biological and adoptive parents and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children, may be eligible for burial in a national cemetery.
On April 12, 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) began providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.
Who can apply for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance? You may qualify if:
- You are a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who paid for funeral expenses after January 20, 2020, and
- The funeral expenses were for an individual whose death in the United States, territories or the District of Columbia, may have been caused by or was likely the result of COVID-19.
The COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023. FEMA will continue to provide funeral assistance until September 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic.
Please visit the FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance website for more information: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/historic/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance