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burialstate

No Maryland Burial Allowance — the State Gives Ground, Not Money

Maryland pays nothing towards preparation of the remains, transportation or the funeral — the department says those fall on the next of kin or the estate. What the state does provide is ground rather than money: see md-state-veterans-cemeteries for the plot, liner, headstone and interment, which are provided at no charge for the veteran.

Verified August 27, 2026

What this benefit is

Maryland pays nothing towards preparation of the remains, transportation or the funeral — the department says those fall on the next of kin or the estate. What the state does provide is ground rather than money: see md-state-veterans-cemeteries for the plot, liner, headstone and interment, which are provided at no charge for the veteran.

Who is entitled to it

  • You are the veteran, or a family member planning ahead.
  • Your home is in Maryland.

Not sure whether that describes you?

Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.

How to claim it

  1. 1Budget for the funeral itself. The department states that expenses incurred in the preparation or transportation of the remains, including funeral costs, are borne by the veteran’s next of kin, legal representative or estate.
  2. 2Do claim the cemetery benefit, which is the real Maryland contribution — plot, grave liner, headstone and interment services at no expense for an eligible veteran and eligible dependants.
  3. 3Guard and reserve members and their eligible dependants pay a fee the department states will equal the federal burial plot allowance, and which is subject to change each 1 October when that allowance is adjusted. Ask for the current figure rather than relying on last year’s.
  4. 4Take the funeral allowance question to the federal VA instead. That is where a burial allowance actually exists, and a county service officer can file it with you.
  5. 5For military funeral honours, ask the funeral director. The department states plainly that it cannot assume responsibility for military honours and that survivors should address the request to the funeral director.
  6. 6If money is the problem rather than the paperwork, ask the county service officer about hardship and emergency funds before assuming the estate has to carry it all.
File with
Nothing to claim from the State for funeral costs
No renewal
Once granted it does not need renewing.
CorrectionWe publish this because the absence is worth as much as a benefit. Benefit lists that put "burial benefits" under a state heading invite a family to look for a cheque that does not exist. Maryland’s burial benefit is ground and a marker, and the funeral bill stays with the family.
Worth knowingThe Guard and reserve interment fee is pegged to the federal burial plot allowance and moves with it each 1 October. That is unusual — it means the figure in any written guide is a snapshot of one fiscal year rather than a fixed price.
Known gapThis absence is read from the department’s own burial page rather than from a statute saying no allowance exists. If Maryland creates one, that page is where it would appear first — check it rather than this record.

Sources

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.