Veteran Cremation Services | Honoring Those Who Served

At AM Cremation & Funeral Care, we are honored to serve the families of U.S. military veterans throughout Manatee, Sarasota, and surrounding counties. We understand that your loved one's service deserves to be recognized with care, dignity, and the full honors they earned. Our veteran cremation packages are designed to handle every detail — from cremation through national cemetery coordination and military honors — so your family can focus on honoring their memory.

We are a family-owned, licensed funeral home with our own crematory in Palmetto, Florida. When you call us, your loved one stays in our care from the moment of removal through the completion of cremation — never transported to an outside facility.

If a death has occurred and you need immediate assistance, please call us at (941) 212-1093 ext. 1.

Our Veteran Cremation Packages

We offer two veteran cremation packages to meet the needs of different families. Both include full coordination with the VA and national cemetery scheduling. The difference comes down to the level of service, number of death certificates, urn selection, and delivery included.

This package provides everything a family needs for a dignified direct cremation, with full veteran-specific coordination included. It is our most affordable veteran option and is ideal for families who want the essentials handled with care at a straightforward price.

This package includes:

• Refrigeration and shelter of your loved one at our facility

• Arrangement conference — at our office, by phone, or online

• All required documents prepared and filed

• 1 certified copy of the Death Certificate

• Social Security Administration notified

• Cremation fee (up to 350 lbs.) and alternative container

• Cremation performed by one of our certified crematory operators at our own facility

• Basic polymer urn for cremated remains

• Obituary posted on our website at no charge

• Coordination with the Veterans National Scheduling Office for interment at the national cemetery of your choice

• Courier delivery of cremated remains to Sarasota National Cemetery or Bay Pines National Cemetery

• Assistance in obtaining military honors

Pricing notes: This package assumes prompt payment by personal check, cash, or credit/debit card, due on the day arrangements are made and prior to cremation. If payment is not made as agreed, the prompt pay discount is void, and pricing reverts to our standard Direct Cremation price of $1,345 plus $200 for VA assistance. Removal fee of $250 is discounted and additional, within a 50-mile radius, with up to 2 technicians. Outside the service area, additional technicians will incur additional fees. An atypical weight surcharge may apply for decedents over 350 lbs. Transportation to the Florida National Cemetery is available for an additional $450.

Cremation is generally completed within 10–12 business days and is dependent on receipt of all required authorizations, approvals, payment in full, and the current crematory operating schedule.

Please note: Obituary placement assistance with newspapers is not included in this package. Additional charges will apply for composition and newspaper publication fees.

Our Veteran Premium Cremation Package builds on the Simple package with added services that provide greater convenience and a more complete tribute for your loved one. This package is well-suited for families who want additional death certificates, a premium urn, local delivery of cremated remains, and full obituary assistance included.

This package includes everything in the Veteran Simple Cremation, plus:

• 6 certified copies of the Death Certificate

• Assistance with composition and submission of obituaries to your newspaper and/or our website (newspaper publication fees are the responsibility of the family)

• A premium urn — choice of wooden laminate, brushed bronze snap-lock, or premium brass or alloy urn — up to $195 value, or a $195 credit toward a higher-value urn

• Delivery of cremated remains and death certificates within a 50-mile radius

• Coordination with the Veterans National Scheduling Office for interment at the national cemetery of your choice

• Courier delivery of cremated remains to Sarasota National Cemetery or Bay Pines National Cemetery

• Assistance in obtaining military honors

Pricing notes: This package assumes prompt payment by personal check, cash, or credit/debit card, due on the day arrangements are made and prior to cremation. Removal fee of $250 is discounted and additional, within a 50-mile radius, with up to 2 technicians. Outside the service area, additional technicians will incur additional fees. An atypical weight surcharge may apply for decedents over 350 lbs. Transportation to the Florida National Cemetery is available for an additional $450.

Cremation is generally completed within 10–12 business days and is dependent on receipt of all required authorizations, approvals, payment in full, and the current crematory operating schedule.

National Cemeteries We Serve

We coordinate delivery of cremated remains and interment scheduling with the following national cemeteries:

• Sarasota National Cemetery — Sarasota, FL (included in both packages)

• Bay Pines National Cemetery — St. Petersburg, FL (included in both packages)

• Florida National Cemetery — Bushnell, FL (available for an additional $450)

We work directly with the Veterans National Scheduling Office on your behalf, so your family does not have to navigate that process alone.

VA Memorial Benefits for Eligible Veterans

Eligible U.S. military veterans may qualify for a range of benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs at no cost to the family. These include:

• Burial in a VA national cemetery

• Opening and closing of the grave, or placement of cremated remains in a columbarium

• Perpetual care of the gravesite

• A government-furnished headstone or marker

• A burial flag

• A Presidential Memorial Certificate

• A committal service with military honors

To access these benefits, families will need the veteran's DD-214 or other discharge papers. At the time of need, the DD-214 can be faxed to 1-866-900-6417, followed by a phone call to 1-800-535-1117. We assist families with this process as part of both veteran packages.

For complete information on VA memorial benefits, visit our Veterans' Benefits page or the VA's website at cem.va.gov.

Medical Examiner Fees

Florida law requires Medical Examiner review and approval before any cremation can occur. This fee is not included in package pricing and varies by county:

• Manatee County: $35

• Sarasota County: $35

• Pinellas County: $40

• Charlotte County: $0

• Hillsborough County: $50

• DeSoto County: $35

Questions? We're Here to Help.

Our staff is available to answer any questions about our veteran cremation packages, VA benefits, or what to expect during the process. Arrangements can be made at our office, by phone, or online from the comfort of your home.

Call (941) 212-1093 ext. 1 for immediate assistance. Toll free: 1-800-516-2188

Make Arrangements Online → | View Full Pricing & General Price List → | Learn About VA Benefits →