Is my father in law entitled to funeral and burial benefits?
I submit to you, the Commandment “Honor your father and mother” includes taking care of them after they pass away. They brought you into the world, fed you, clothed you, sheltered you, perhaps provided you a college education. And you expect to inherit all that they have when they pass away. And you want him to also pay for his own funeral? I am glad you are not MY kid or daughter-in-law. But if you are going to be cheap, here are some suggestions. If he is a veteran he can get a grave plot and marker stone at a national cemetery. To get that, you will need a copy of his DD 214 so you might try to get that before he passes away. Have him cremated. Make arrangements with a cremation service to pick up the body from the home or hospital and cremate him. Have them put the ashes in a cheap box and then go scatter the ashes somewhere, or stick the body in a vault at a national cemetery with a marker, which is free also. You could cut costs even more if you brought the body to the crematoriu
Unfortunately …the VA doesn’t provide with life insurance. That comes out from your pocket. Funerals do cost money …don’t think that they are cheap. Specially the casket. this is the bad news. That said (good news is) if he was a veteran (check with VA) he can get a burial detail, can be buried at a VA cemetery and get small compensation from Social Securiy (though is very small (around $200.00). This cut 1/3 of the entire expense.
