A Veteran Funeral Planning Checklist

Pulling together everything relevant to a veteran’s funeral can feel like a lot at once — here’s a practical, step-by-step way to approach it.

What’s the very first thing to do?

1. Locate the DD-214. This is the key document for accessing most veteran burial benefits. If it can’t be found, the funeral home or the National Archives can often help locate a copy - don’t let a missing document delay starting the process.

2. Tell the funeral home about the veteran’s service right away. Mentioning this early helps the funeral home start coordinating benefits and honors that might otherwise take longer to arrange.

Do I need to decide on a national cemetery immediately?

Not necessarily immediately, but relatively soon, since this affects several other arrangements - the funeral home can help you understand the realistic timeline for your specific situation.

3. Decide on burial location. Consider whether a national cemetery, a private cemetery, a state veterans cemetery, or tribal land (if applicable) fits your family’s wishes - see our guide on national cemetery eligibility for more detail on that specific option.

How do I request military funeral honors?

This is typically arranged through the funeral home, which coordinates directly with the relevant military branch or a veteran service organization - you generally don’t need to arrange this independently.

4. Request military funeral honors. See our guide on military funeral honors for what to expect.

5. Check on survivor benefits, if applicable. If there’s a surviving spouse or dependent, it’s worth checking eligibility for benefits like Dependency and Indemnity Compensation - see our guide on benefits for surviving spouses and dependents.

6. Consider a local veteran service officer. Available through veteran service organizations or county veteran affairs offices, a service officer can help navigate benefits applications and answer specific questions a funeral home may not be equipped to address.

Is there a single checklist I can print or save?

You can use this article as that checklist - the funeral home you’re working with can also often provide their own version specific to their process and your local resources.

This checklist covers common steps — a funeral home experienced with veteran services can tailor this further to your specific situation.