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Funerals can be incredibly expensive.

Fortunately, if you’re a spouse or a family member of a veteran who recently passed away, you may be able to receive a payment from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to cover burial and funeral costs (and even transportation costs).

They call it an “allowance“, and it can be upwards of $2,000, depending on how the vet’s passing correlated to their military service.

It can not only cover the aforementioned burial and funeral, but plots, internments and getting the remains to a final resting place (like a national cemetery).

All you need is the former service member’s separation papers (like a DD-214), a death certificate and any paperwork or proof related to transportation.

The form you’ll need to fill out is coded “VA Form 21P-530” — can be found at this link — and will ultimately need to be mailed to a VA regional benefit office.

For more information, including specific qualifications for such an allowance as well as rate charts that explain the amounts — click here.