Resource area 11 · Claims, Benefits & Burial
This section covers the practical, sometimes overwhelming parts of being a veteran or a veteran's family: filing a VA claim, getting help with a burial, or finding money when things are tight. None of this is charity in the way people sometimes fear — it's benefits you or your loved one earned, and organized ways to ask for a hand when you need one. You don't have to figure it out alone or get it perfect on the first try.
If none of the other resource areas quite fit what you're dealing with — a VA claim that's stuck, a burial you're trying to plan, a financial gap that hit without warning — this is the door. Tell us what's going on in one confidential conversation, and we'll help you figure out where it belongs and who can actually help.
You don't need the perfect words or the right category. Just tell us what's happening, and we'll take it from there.
Where to start
These are publicly available resources that anyone can use — Veterans Resource Alliance is not affiliated with any of them. If you'd rather not sort through this on your own, reach out and we'll do it with you.
This VA.gov page explains how to apply for VA disability compensation — money paid to veterans for injuries or illnesses connected to their service — and how to file online, by mail, or with help in person. If you'd rather talk to a person first, you can call the VA benefits hotline instead of using the website.
If a veteran has passed away, this VA page walks you through what's covered — a free gravesite in a national cemetery, a headstone or marker, a burial flag, and sometimes money back for funeral costs. It also explains how a living veteran can find out ahead of time if they qualify, so the family isn't scrambling later.
New Hampshire's own veterans office can help with things the VA doesn't cover: emergency financial help for veterans facing hardship, property tax credits, and connecting you with a free Veterans Services Officer who can walk you through any state or federal benefit you might be owed. This is the same office that runs the state veterans cemetery.
This is New Hampshire's own veterans cemetery in Boscawen. Burial is free for eligible veterans, and there's a modest fee for a spouse or dependent. It's run by the state, not the federal VA, so it's a good option if a national cemetery is too far away.
New Hampshire doesn't have a federal (VA) national cemetery of its own, so this is the closest one — in Bourne, MA, on the Cape Cod side. It offers the same no-cost federal burial benefits as any national cemetery: gravesite, headstone, and burial flag.
This VFW program gives out grants — money you don't have to pay back — for things like rent, a car payment, utilities, or food when an unexpected money problem hits. It's not just for VFW members.
DAV has trained service officers who will help you file a VA claim or track one down for free — you do not need to be a DAV member. Enter your zip code on this page to find the office nearest you in New England.
This nonprofit gives direct financial help to veterans and service members who were wounded, seriously injured, or became critically ill during their service — things like bills during a hospital stay, transportation, or home modifications. A case manager works with you one-on-one.
Claims, benefits, burial, or something else entirely — tell us what's going on and we'll help you find the way through. Free and confidential.
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