PHILADELPHIA, PA — In time for Memorial Day, recent changes in VA benefits mean the US government will now reimburse veteran families up to $948 for burial or cremation costs. This update comes from J.G. Sandom, CEO of Cremstar, an online cremation service available in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Previously, the reimbursement was $893.
“Since Cremstar’s starting price for a direct cremation is also $948,” says Sandom, “that’s like getting your cremation for free.” The government will also pay an additional $231 for an urn, and the state will provide free death certificates. “Plus, if you inter that urn in a columbarium,” adds Sandom, “they’ll reimburse you yet another $948.”
Veterans and their families can check eligibility and apply for reimbursement online through the VA website. Cremstar offers a comprehensive Veterans Planning Kit to help families prepare. Veterans can also seek assistance from accredited Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) or contact their state office of Veterans Affairs. For more information, they can call the VA at (800) 827-1000.
To access the benefit, families must first order and pay for the cremation. If using Cremstar’s services, the company will provide all necessary paperwork for reimbursement.
Families have two years from the date of passing to apply. The VA will review the application and, if the veteran was honorably discharged, reimburse up to $948 for the cremation and up to $231 for an urn. Veterans who die from a service-connected disability are eligible for higher death benefits, up to $2,000.
“During their lifetime, vets serve our country with dignity and respect. The least we can do is make sure they’re treated the same way as they move on. We at Cremstar are proud to support this veteran’s program,” Sandom concludes. “With every Cremstar cremation, we also fund the planting of a tree in memory of the fallen. They will never be forgotten.”
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