Burial White Paper

Supplemental Statement regarding non-substantive changes made to VA Form

21P-530, Application for Burial Benefits

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amended its regulations regarding burial benefits effective July 7, 2014.

VA instituted new priority of payment provisions for burial benefits. The new regulations codified in 38 C.F.R. §3.1702(b) removed funeral service providers and other third party claimants as possible priority claimants. The new regulations codified in 38 C.F.R. §3.1708 offer funeral service providers and other third party claimants the opportunity to claim burial benefits if they provided burial services for the remains of an unclaimed Veteran.

In addition, VA has two new regulations regarding burial in either a state veterans cemetery (38 C.F.R. §3.1707) or a national cemetery (38 C.F.R. §3.1709).

Therefore, VA is revising VA Form 21P-530 Application for Burial Benefits, to add the following language to the instructions under the title of “Who Should File a Claim”:

“If the veterans’ remains are unclaimed, VA will pay the person or entity that provided burial services for the remains of an unclaimed veteran.”

VA is also revising VA Form 21P-530, to add a check box in Block 13, “Benefits Requested,” for unclaimed remains.

In preparation for the upcoming automation of plot benefits based on the new regulations, VA is also revising VA Form 21P-530, to add “state veterans cemetery” to the title of Block 17.

These changes are minor; the changes will not increase the burden on the respondent. The changes will allow respondents to more clearly identify themselves as the proper claimants, and allow VA adjudicators to process the applications more efficiently.