Pre-Planning For The Death Of Your Veteran

Death is an inevitable eventuality that everyone must face. Planning a funeral for an individual who served in the armed forces requires careful thought and consideration. A veteran's funeral can differ from that of a person who never served in the military.

To ensure that you are prepared to provide your veteran with the recognition that he or she deserves, you should start pre-planning for his or her death well in advance.

Gather important documents.

In order for you to access burial benefits reserved for veterans, you will need to be able to prove that your loved one qualifies for these benefits. Pre-planning for a veteran's funeral should include the gathering of important documents.

You will need a copy of your loved one's discharge certificate. This certificate proves that your loved one served, and it lets the Veterans' Administration know that your loved one didn't receive a dishonorable discharge. You will also need access to any VA documents (including a VA claim number) that pertain to your loved one.

Learn about available benefits.

To take advantage of the special benefits reserved for veterans, you need to know what these benefits are. The Veterans Benefits Administration provides all veterans who were discharged from the armed forces with a status other than dishonorable with specific recognition.

This recognition includes access to burial plots in any national cemetery that has available space, a ceremonial flag to be draped over the veteran's casket and then presented to surviving family members, and a government-issued headstone, medallion, or urn identifying the veteran's rank and years of service.

Talk to your loved one to determine which of these benefits he or she wants you to take advantage of as you pre-plan for your veteran's funeral.

Work with an experienced funeral home.

Navigating through the paperwork and administrative oversight that is associated with planning a veteran's funeral can be challenging for family members. Funeral homes who have experience handling the funerals of veterans will be able to guide you through the pre-planning process.

These experienced funeral homes are capable of submitting paperwork on your family's behalf and coordinating with the Veterans Benefits Administration to secure a burial plot and other benefits your veteran is entitled to.

You may have never planned a funeral for a veteran, but funeral homes specializing in veterans funeral packages will know the process required to successfully pre-plan for the death of your beloved veteran.

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