State Supplemental Burial Allowance

To honor Service members who gave their lives in combat, New York State offers surviving family members a Supplemental Burial Allowance of up to $6,000.   

This money is used to defray funeral and interment costs not covered by the federal government. A family member must bear part or all costs of the Service member’s funeral and/or interment to be eligible. 

VA Cemetery Locations

Eligible individuals must prove their relationship to a Service member who:

(1) Is a New York State resident at the time of their death, OR was a member of the New York Army National Guard or New York Air National Guard at the time when they entered active duty status, during which period of service they died.  

-- AND --

(2) Either:

• Passed away in a combat zone;
• Passed away while receiving hazardous duty pay, pursuant to Title 37, Section 310 (a)(4) of the United States Code; or
• Passed away from wounds sustained in a combat zone or while receiving hazardous duty pay.  

To apply for the Supplemental Burial Allowance, please fill out the Burial Allowance application below and submit copies of the following documents along with your application: 

• One document proving the Service member’s combat-related death (such as a casualty report from the military, a death certificate listing cause of death, etc.).
• One document proving EITHER: (1) The servicemember was a resident of New York State at the time of their death, or (2) The servicemember was a member of the New York Army National Guard or New York Air National Guard at the time when they entered active duty status, during which period of service they died. 

§  ** NOTE: Documents to prove proof of residence include, but are not limited to, a New York State driver’s license or non-driver ID card; a voter registration notification card; a current utility bill (such as water, electricity, trash collection, cable TV, etc.) listing the applicant’s name and address; a residential lease issued within one year of the current date; a property tax or school tax bill or receipt for the year in which the servicemember passed away; a federal or New York State income tax or earning statement; or any other official document showing the Service member’s status as a New York State resident.**        

• Document(s) showing the amount of money that the Burial Allowance applicant paid for the funeral and/or interment costs of the Service member. 
• One document showing proof of the applicant’s family relationship to the Service member. 
• Document(s) showing how much money, if any, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs paid the applicant or other family members to assist in covering the funeral and interment expenses.