Veterans & Military Families — Florida
Veteran Cremation Benefits in Florida: What Your Family Is Entitled To
The benefits earned through military service extend beyond life. Many Florida families are unaware of everything a veteran’s family is entitled to — and some of those benefits go unclaimed every year.
View Veteran Packages →Serving in the United States military is a commitment that carries benefits for a lifetime — and beyond. When a veteran passes, their family is entitled to a meaningful set of honors and financial benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. These are not favors. They are earned.
At AM Cremation & Funeral Care, we are honored to serve the veteran community in Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas, Hillsborough, DeSoto, and Charlotte counties. This guide explains every benefit available to Florida veteran families, what you need to access them, and how we help. For a complete overview of the cremation process, see our Complete Florida Cremation Guide.
1. Who Qualifies for Veteran Burial Benefits
VA burial and memorial benefits are available to veterans who meet service requirements, as well as to certain family members. In general, eligibility includes:
- Veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable
- Service members who died while on active duty
- Reservists and National Guard members who were activated under federal orders and served the full period of activation
- The spouse and dependent children of an eligible veteran (for national cemetery interment)
- Certain unmarried surviving spouses of veterans
Eligibility for specific benefits — particularly the VA burial allowance — may involve additional criteria related to the circumstances of death and the veteran’s VA benefit status at the time. The VA website at va.gov is the authoritative source for current eligibility requirements. Our staff can help you understand the landscape, but the application for VA benefits is submitted directly by the family.
2. National Cemetery Interment at No Cost
Eligible veterans may have their cremated remains interred at a national cemetery at no cost to the family. The VA covers all of the following at no charge:
- The gravesite or niche in a columbarium
- Opening and closing of the grave or niche
- A government-furnished headstone, marker, or niche cover inscribed with the veteran’s name, branch of service, and dates of service
- Perpetual care of the gravesite
- A United States burial flag
The surviving spouse and dependent children of an eligible veteran may also be interred in the same national cemetery at no cost when their time comes, providing a permanent family resting place.
Scheduling is coordinated through the National Cemetery Scheduling Office. Our Veteran Cremation Packages include coordination with the scheduling office on your behalf — you do not need to navigate that process alone.
3. National Cemeteries Serving Our Area
We coordinate transport of cremated remains to three national cemeteries serving families in Southwest and Central Florida:
Sarasota National Cemetery
Located in Sarasota, this is the closest national cemetery to most families we serve in Manatee and Sarasota counties. Transportation to Sarasota National Cemetery is included in our Veteran Cremation Packages.
Bay Pines National Cemetery
Located near St. Petersburg in Pinellas County. Transportation to Bay Pines National Cemetery is included in our Veteran Cremation Packages for families in our service area.
Florida National Cemetery
Located in Bushnell in Sumter County, Florida National Cemetery is farther from our Palmetto facility. Transportation is available at an additional charge of $450 reflecting the greater distance involved.
4. Military Funeral Honors
Under the Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act, eligible veterans are entitled to military funeral honors at no cost to the family. At minimum, military honors include:
- The folding and presentation of the United States flag to the next of kin
- The playing of “Taps” — either by a live bugler or a high-quality recorded version
Additional honors — such as a rifle volley salute or a full honor guard — may be available depending on the branch of service and local availability of military personnel. These are coordinated through the Department of Defense.
Military honors can be arranged at a national cemetery interment, at a graveside service, or at a separate memorial service. Our Veteran Cremation Packages include coordination of military honors on your behalf. We work directly with the appropriate branch of service to arrange this tribute.
To facilitate military honors, the family will need to provide the veteran’s DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty). See Section 7 for more on why this document is so important.
5. Burial Flag and Presidential Memorial Certificate
An American flag is provided to honor the memory of a veteran’s military service. The flag is presented to the next of kin — typically the spouse, child, or parent of the veteran — as part of the military honors ceremony or at the time of interment. The burial flag is provided at no cost through the VA.
The flag may be kept by the family as a permanent tribute, displayed in a flag case, or presented alongside the urn. Many families frame the flag alongside the veteran’s photograph, medals, and discharge papers as a lasting memorial.
A Presidential Memorial Certificate is an engraved paper certificate bearing the President’s signature that expresses the nation’s gratitude for a veteran’s service. It is available to honorably discharged veterans and can be requested by the next of kin, other relatives, or friends of the veteran.
The certificate is requested directly through the VA at va.gov. Multiple copies may be requested for different family members. There is no charge for this certificate.
6. VA Burial Allowance
The VA may provide a burial allowance to help offset the cost of funeral and burial expenses. This benefit is available under specific eligibility conditions — not all veterans’ families will qualify. The most common qualifying circumstances are:
- The veteran died as a result of a service-connected disability
- The veteran was receiving VA pension or disability compensation at the time of death
- The veteran died in a VA facility (hospital, nursing home, or domiciliary)
- The veteran’s body was unclaimed
Allowance amounts vary based on the qualifying circumstance and whether the veteran is being buried in a national cemetery or a private cemetery. The VA updates these amounts periodically.
The application for the VA burial allowance must be submitted by the family directly to the VA. We do not file on your behalf, but we are happy to help you understand what documentation you will need and point you to the correct VA resources. The application is VA Form 21P-530EZ, available at va.gov. Applications must generally be filed within two years of the veteran’s burial or cremation.
7. The DD-214 and Why It Matters
The DD-214 — officially the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty — is the single most important document for accessing veteran benefits after death. It confirms the veteran’s service dates, branch, character of discharge, and other key details that the VA and the Department of Defense use to verify eligibility for every benefit described in this guide.
Without a DD-214, accessing most veteran benefits becomes significantly more complicated and time-consuming. We strongly encourage families to locate the DD-214 now — before it is needed — and store it in a safe, accessible place known to other family members.
Where to find a lost DD-214
If the DD-214 cannot be located, it can be requested through the National Archives using Standard Form 180 (SF-180) or online at archives.gov. Processing times vary — this is another reason to locate or request the document well in advance rather than at the time of need.
Include a copy in your pre-arrangement
If you are pre-planning arrangements for yourself or a veteran family member, include a copy of the DD-214 in your pre-arrangement file with us. This ensures it is immediately available when needed and removes one more task from a family’s plate during a difficult time. See our Plan Ahead page for more on pre-arranging.
8. Our Veteran Cremation Packages
Veteran Simple Cremation Package
Everything in our Simple Cremation Package, plus:
- Coordination with the National Cemetery Scheduling Office
- Transportation of cremated remains to Sarasota National Cemetery or Bay Pines National Cemetery
- Assistance arranging military funeral honors through the Department of Defense
*Removal fee and county Medical Examiner fee are additional. Transportation to Florida National Cemetery available at an additional $450.
Veteran Premium Cremation Package
Everything in our Premium Cremation Package, plus:
- Coordination with the National Cemetery Scheduling Office
- Transportation of cremated remains to Sarasota National Cemetery or Bay Pines National Cemetery
- Assistance arranging military funeral honors through the Department of Defense
- 6 certified death certificate copies, obituary composition and submission, premium urn (up to $195 value), delivery of ashes and certificates within 50 miles
*Removal fee and county Medical Examiner fee are additional. Transportation to Florida National Cemetery available at an additional $450.
