Be aware of veterans death benefits

The death of a loved one is a traumatic experience for any family both in terms of loss and with the expense of a funeral and burial.

Veterans and their surviving spouses have access to benefits to assist in some of the funeral costs.

“Many veterans are unaware there are benefits for them after they pass, or that they can be buried in a state cemetery at no cost to them or their family,” said Taylor County Veterans Service Officer Sheila Sutton.

VA burial benefits can help service members, Veterans, and their family members plan and pay for a burial or memorial service in a VA national cemetery.

Who’s eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery? Veterans, service members, spouses, and dependents may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, as well as other benefits, if they meet one of these requirements.

One of these must be true:

• The person qualifying for burial benefits is a Veteran who didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, or

• The person qualifying for burial benefits is a service member who died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty for training, or

• The person qualifying for burial benefits is the spouse or surviving spouse of a Veteran (even if they remarried after the Veteran’s death), or

• The person qualifying for burial benefits is the minor child of a Veteran (even if the Veteran died first) or, in some cases, the unmarried adult dependent child of a Veteran

The state of Wisconsin has additional benefits available through the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) Military Funeral Honors Program (MFHP).

The program works to provide and coordinate a final tribute to the men and women who served our state and nation honorably as members of the U.S. armed forces. It allows a grateful nation to pay its last respects in a dignified and solemn ceremony.

Wisconsin maintains three veterans cemeteries in the state. The Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery is located in Spooner. The Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery is located in King. The Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery is located in Union Grove.

Veterans who meet one of the following service requirements and one of the following residency requirements are eligible for burial in the state veterans cemeteries operated by the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. Spouses and dependent children of eligible veterans also may be eligible for burial in the state veterans cemeteries. Military service requirement for burial in Wisconsin state veterans cemeteries must be in accordance with the eligibility standards as set by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration, at a minimum must meet one of the following:

•Veteran was discharged from ‘active duty” under other than dishonorable conditions, or

•Veteran died while on “active duty”, or

•Veteran served at least 20 years in the National Guard or Reserves and qualified for military retirement pay (or would have qualified except death occurred before age 60).

Wisconsin state residency requirement for burial in state veterans cemeteries must meet one of the following:

•Veteran was a Wisconsin resident at time of entry or re-entry into military service, or

•Veteran was a resident at time of death, or

•Veteran was a Wisconsin resident for at least 12 consecutive months after entering or re-entering service on “active duty”. There is no residency requirement for a veteran who dies while on active duty or person who was a member of the Veterans Home at King, Union Grove or Chippewa Falls. Eligibility determinations may only be made upon submission of a pre-application form (WDVA 2111) or initial interment application and review of documents In addition to being buried at a national or state veterans cemetery there are also burial benefits for veterans.

Service-related Death

VA will pay up to $2,000 toward burial expenses for deaths on or after September 11, 2001, or up to $1,500 for deaths prior to September 11, 2001. If the Veteran is buried in a VA national cemetery, some or all of the cost of transporting the deceased may be reimbursed.

Non-service-related Death

VA will pay up to $796 toward burial and funeral expenses for deaths on or after October 1, 2019 (if hospitalized by VA at time of death), or $300 toward burial and funeral expenses (if not hospitalized by VA at time of death), and a $796 plot-interment allowance (if not buried in a national cemetery).

As with other benefits, veterans and their families can start with their local county veterans service office for help in seeing what is available and how to get application process started.