VA Cremation Burial Benefits in Maine: Cemeteries, Niches, and Markers

If you are handling arrangements for a Maine Veteran who will be cremated, you may be carrying two very different kinds of work at the same time: grief and logistics. The logistics can feel surprisingly specific—cemetery rules, niche sizes, inscription choices, paperwork, and timing—yet the goal is simple: to give a Veteran a dignified resting place and give the family a clear path forward.

Cremation is now the most common form of disposition in the United States, which is one reason columbarium niches and cremation sections have become such an important part of cemetery planning. The National Funeral Directors Association reports the U.S. cremation rate is projected to reach 63.4% in 2025. The Cremation Association of North America reports a 61.8% U.S. cremation rate in 2024. Those trends show up in Maine in very practical ways: families are comparing niche availability, deciding between in-ground cremation burial and a columbarium wall, and trying to understand what the VA will provide—and what may still be out of pocket.

This guide is a Maine-specific walkthrough of VA burial benefits Maine families commonly use when a Veteran is cremated, with a practical focus on columbarium niche Maine planning, memorial markers, and step-by-step requests. Benefits and policies can change, so whenever you see a rule that matters to your decision, you will also see an official source linked in the text so you can confirm it before you commit.

The first decision: where the urn will rest

When a family says “We’re doing cremation,” what they often mean is “We have not decided the final resting place yet.” In Maine, most Veteran families end up choosing one of three paths:

One path is burial or inurnment in a VA national cemetery—most often VA national cemetery cremation Maine planning that routes through Acadia National Cemetery in Jonesboro. A second path is burial or inurnment in the state-run Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery System, which offers columbarium niches and cremation burial sections at multiple locations across the state. A third path is a private cemetery, where the VA may still provide certain memorial items (like a government-furnished headstone/marker or medallion), and where the family may also qualify for a VA burial allowance depending on circumstances.

Before you pick a path, it helps to separate two concepts that are easy to blend together: the cemetery benefit (a place of interment, plus maintenance and certain services) and the memorial item benefit (the marker, niche cover, or medallion, plus inscription rules). You can have both through a VA or state Veterans cemetery, or you can have a memorial item benefit in a private cemetery even if the interment itself is private.

Eligibility basics to know before you plan

Veteran status and discharge status

Eligibility is usually straightforward, but families can lose time when they assume it will be “automatic” and then learn that discharge status or minimum service rules matter. The VA’s official eligibility page explains that, in general, a Veteran who did not receive a dishonorable discharge may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, and it also lays out special rules for National Guard and Reserve members and other groups. You can review those criteria on VA.gov.

If discharge status is the concern, the VA notes there are potential options such as discharge upgrade requests or a VA character of discharge review, depending on the situation. The same VA eligibility resource is the best starting point for those cases, because it reflects the current process and links to the appropriate next steps.

Spouse and dependent eligibility

Families also need clarity on the spouse and dependents question, because the answer changes depending on where the burial happens. For VA national cemeteries, the VA states that Veterans, spouses, and dependents may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery if they meet the requirements listed on VA.gov.

For Maine’s state Veterans cemetery system, the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services states that Veterans, spouses, and eligible dependents may be interred in the Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery System (MVCS), and it provides a detailed definition of “eligible veteran” and “eligible dependent” on the official Preparing for Burial page.

No matter which cemetery option you choose, assume you will need the Veteran’s discharge documentation. Maine’s cemetery FAQ encourages Veterans to submit an application in advance and notes that required documents include a certified copy of the DD214 (or equivalent discharge documents). That FAQ is available on the official Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery System FAQ page.

Option 1: VA national cemeteries for Maine cremation burials

For many families, a VA national cemetery provides a sense of permanence without adding financial strain. In Maine, Acadia National Cemetery was dedicated as a national cemetery option intended to bring burial access closer to rural communities. In the VA’s official press release on the cemetery dedication, the VA notes Acadia National Cemetery offers space for in-ground burial of cremated remains, columbaria space for cremains, and a memorial wall. That information is summarized in VA News.

The VA’s location directory entry for Acadia National Cemetery provides the address in Jonesboro, Maine, and describes the cemetery as serving Veterans, spouses, and eligible children within a regional radius. You can confirm current contact details on the VA Locations directory page.

Families sometimes hear about Togus National Cemetery and wonder whether it is available. The VA’s Acadia dedication press release notes Togus National Cemetery near Augusta was closed to first interments in 1961, while subsequent interments in the same gravesite as another family member have taken place in later decades. That context appears in the same VA News release. If Togus is part of your family’s story, the VA History Office also references Togus National Cemetery in its history content, including an example of ongoing stewardship and commemoration at the site on department.va.gov.

For cremation planning, one of the most practical details is niche sizing. VA national cemeteries may have different niche configurations, especially when older sections are involved, but the VA’s design guidance provides a helpful baseline: in the VA National Cemetery Administration facilities design guide, a standard columbarium niche is described as 10-1/2 inches by 15 inches by 20 inches deep, measured at the face. That design guide is available as a PDF hosted by NIST. Treat this as a reference point, not a guarantee—your funeral director or cemetery staff should confirm what applies to your specific inurnment before you buy an urn.

Families also benefit from knowing what the ceremony will feel like. The VA explains that a committal service at a national cemetery takes place at a committal shelter (not at the gravesite) and lasts about 20 minutes, and the burial occurs after the committal service. That is described on the VA’s page, Military funeral honors and the committal service. The same page notes that military funeral honors include the playing of “Taps” and a detail of uniformed service members who present the burial flag, and it emphasizes that families should arrange honors through the funeral director or get help from a Veterans Service Organization or VA cemetery staff.

How to schedule: time of need versus pre-need

If the death has already occurred, you will schedule at the time of need. If you are planning in advance, the VA offers a pre-need determination process that can reduce stress later.

For planning ahead, the VA describes pre-need eligibility as an application to find out in advance if someone is eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery. That overview appears on VA.gov, and the VA specifies that VA Form 40-10007 is used for this purpose on the VA’s form page, About VA Form 40-10007. The VA also emphasizes that pre-need means before death and that families should schedule instead if the person is already deceased; this is stated directly in the VA Form 40-10007 PDF.

At the time of need, Maine’s Bureau of Veterans’ Services notes that to schedule a burial at Acadia National Cemetery, families should contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 on the official Scheduling a Burial page. The same National Cemetery Scheduling Office number is also referenced in the VA Form 40-10007 PDF, which many families use as a quick reference when gathering documents.

Option 2: Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery System

If you want a Veterans cemetery setting but you prefer a state-run option with locations across Maine, the Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery System is often the best fit. The Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services lays out interment options and scheduling practices on its official Scheduling a Burial page.

One detail that surprises families is that the process can look different depending on whether the Veteran is cremated or casketed. Maine’s scheduling page states that funeral home involvement is mandatory for casketed interments, but “funeral home involvement is not mandatory” for cremation interments, and families may contact the cemetery directly if they opt out of funeral home services. That guidance is on the official Scheduling a Burial resource.

Maine also provides unusually family-friendly cost rules compared to many states. In the Maine Veterans’ cemetery FAQ, Maine states it does not charge for Veteran spouses and eligible dependents to be interred. The same FAQ explains that beyond the charges a family may face through a funeral home (such as cremation, an urn, or other services), the State of Maine provides the plot, opening and closing, and perpetual care at no charge, and that the federal government provides a headstone, marker, or niche cover at no cost. Those statements appear on the official MVCS FAQ.

If your plan involves a columbarium niche, Maine provides a concrete answer on niche sizing. The MVCS FAQ states that columbarium niches are designed to accommodate two urns (for example, a Veteran and eligible spouse) and gives niche dimensions of 13 inches in height, 10 inches in width, and 17 inches in depth, while emphasizing that urn purchases should consider those measurements and that both receptacles must fit if a second inurnment is anticipated. That guidance is on the MVCS FAQ. This is one reason many Maine families end up choosing small cremation urns or keepsake urns specifically sized for niche placement.

The state also encourages planning ahead without formal “plot reservations.” Maine’s FAQ states that the cemetery system does not take reservations, but it encourages Veterans to submit an application now so the cemetery can issue an eligibility certificate that can be kept with important documents, making it easier for survivors later. That guidance, along with the document requirement (including a certified DD214), appears on the MVCS FAQ.

To understand eligibility beyond the broad “Veteran” label, the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services publishes a detailed definition of “eligible veteran” and “eligible dependent,” including discharge character and certain service-length requirements, on its official Preparing for Burial page. If your loved one served in the Guard or Reserves, that Maine resource is especially important because it addresses Maine-specific residency and fee considerations.

Where the cemeteries are and how services are scheduled

Maine’s scheduling page lists committal service options and phone numbers for the system, including sites in Augusta, Caribou, and Springvale, and it notes that MVCS provides a facility for a 15–20 minute committal service. You can confirm the current contacts on the official Scheduling a Burial page. If you are planning in Northern Maine, the Bureau’s Northern Maine cemetery page notes that committal services are held on the hour and that cremation niche burials take place year round. That schedule information appears on the official Northern Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery page.

Option 3: Private cemeteries and memorial items for Veterans in Maine

Sometimes a private cemetery is the right fit: it may be a family plot, a church cemetery, or a place with deep community ties. If you go this route, it helps to know what the VA does and does not provide.

The VA explains that for burial in a private cemetery, a spouse or dependent child buried in a private cemetery is not eligible for a headstone, marker, or medallion. Only an eligible Veteran can receive a headstone, marker, or medallion for burial in a private cemetery. That rule is stated clearly on the VA’s official Burial in a private cemetery page.

However, the VA also recognizes that many families want one memorial that reflects the family unit. The VA’s private cemetery guidance explains that if an eligible spouse or dependent child is eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery (but is not buried there), the VA may provide an inscription for that spouse or dependent on the Veteran’s headstone or marker, and it explains how inscription rules depend on the Veteran’s date of death (including expanded inscription details for Veterans who died on or after October 1, 2019). That process is described on the official VA private cemetery burial page.

For the memorial item itself, the VA provides practical “how to” instructions and current forms. The VA’s memorial items page explains that families can request a government headstone or marker using VA Form 40-1330 and a medallion for placement in a private cemetery using VA Form 40-1330M, with additional memorial options such as a commemorative plaque or urn in certain circumstances. You can review those options on VA.gov.

Private cemetery planning also requires a calm conversation about costs. The VA notes that while the VA provides a headstone, marker, or medallion at no extra cost, a private cemetery may charge setting, placement, maintenance, or other fees, and it recommends asking about those costs when planning. That guidance appears on the VA private cemetery burial page. In Maine, it is also common for private cemeteries to have rules about outer burial containers for in-ground cremation burial—often called an urn vault or urn liner—which is why it is wise to confirm vault requirements before buying an urn. If you are navigating that question, Funeral.com’s guide Urn Vaults 101: Do You Need a Vault to Bury a Cremation Urn? walks through what to ask and why policies vary by cemetery section.

Markers, niche covers, medallions, and inscription rules

In almost every Maine case, families want to know two things: what the VA or cemetery will provide, and what can be written on the marker or niche cover. The VA’s headstone and marker FAQ explains common inscription elements, including that VA headstones and markers can include life dates, the highest rank attained, war service and awards, and an emblem of belief, and it notes that the VA may approve other requests such as nicknames or certain terms of endearment. That guidance appears in Government headstones and markers FAQs.

The medallion option is often misunderstood. A medallion is generally used when a family has already purchased a private headstone or marker (or the cemetery requires a specific stone style) and the family wants an official Veteran identifier attached to that private stone. The VA’s memorial items page explains the medallion claim form (VA Form 40-1330M) and when it is used. You can start from VA.gov headstones, markers, plaques, and urns and follow the medallion links from there.

For Maine families using a columbarium niche—whether in the state system or a national cemetery—the inscription decision is also emotional. It is one of the few “permanent” choices you will make while everything still feels in motion. If you can, give yourself room to check spelling, confirm dates, and decide whether you want rank, awards, or an emblem of belief included. The goal is not to create a perfect summary of a life; it is to create a marker your family can stand beside for decades and feel at peace.

How to request VA cremation burial benefits step by step

Most families move through this in a predictable sequence. The details differ by cemetery type, but the workflow is consistent.

1. Confirm eligibility and gather documents. Start with the DD214 or equivalent discharge document. If eligibility is uncertain, use the VA’s official eligibility guidance and, for Maine state cemetery eligibility, the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services Preparing for Burial page.
2. Choose the interment path: VA national cemetery, Maine Veterans’ cemetery system, or private cemetery. If a niche is likely, confirm niche dimensions before buying an urn. Maine provides MVCS niche dimensions on the MVCS FAQ.
3. Schedule the committal service or inurnment. For MVCS, Maine provides direct scheduling information on Scheduling a Burial. For Acadia National Cemetery, Maine’s scheduling page directs families to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117. For national cemetery committal services, the VA explains what to expect on VA.gov.
4. Request memorial items as needed. In a national or state Veterans cemetery, the cemetery typically coordinates the marker or niche cover process. In a private cemetery, families request a VA headstone/marker or medallion through VA.gov headstones, markers, plaques, and urns and follow the instructions for VA Forms 40-1330 and 40-1330M.
5. Arrange Military Funeral Honors and the burial flag. The VA explains that military funeral honors can be performed at the committal shelter and that families should arrange honors through the funeral director or get help from a Veterans Service Organization or VA cemetery staff on VA.gov. USA.gov similarly notes honors are requested through the funeral director or funeral honors coordinator and require discharge papers for verification on USA.gov. For the burial flag, the VA explains how to apply using VA Form 27-2008 and where to bring it on VA.gov burial flags.
6. Request a Presidential Memorial Certificate and apply for burial allowances if applicable. The VA explains that a Presidential Memorial Certificate is automatically presented to next of kin when a Veteran is buried in a national cemetery, and that families can apply if the Veteran is eligible but buried in a private cemetery. That process is on VA.gov. For financial support, the VA’s burial allowance page explains eligibility and how to apply online or by mail using VA Form 21P-530EZ on VA.gov burial allowance.

What costs can still be out of pocket

This is the part families often want stated plainly. Even when the VA or Maine provides a cemetery space and certain memorial items, families commonly still pay for the cremation itself, the funeral home’s services (if used), transportation of remains, certified copies, obituary costs, flowers, and travel. If a private cemetery is used, the cemetery may also charge for opening/closing, setting fees, or maintenance-type charges, even when the VA provides the marker itself, as the VA cautions on its private cemetery burial page.

If you are trying to get a realistic feel for pricing while you plan, Funeral.com’s guide How Much Does Cremation Cost? is a family-facing overview of typical cost structures and what changes the total. And if you believe the family may qualify for a reimbursement benefit, the VA’s burial allowance page is the authoritative place to verify current eligibility rules and application steps.

Choosing an urn that matches a Maine niche or burial plan

In the middle of VA paperwork, families sometimes feel uncomfortable focusing on the urn. Yet the urn is often the piece you will physically handle, transport, and place. In other words, it is not “just a product.” It is the container that makes a plan possible.

If the plan is a columbarium niche, especially within MVCS, niche dimensions matter. The MVCS FAQ gives the niche dimensions (13 inches high, 10 inches wide, and 17 inches deep) and reminds families that two urns may need to fit if a spouse will be inurned later. That is why many families look first at small cremation urns for ashes or keepsake cremation urns for ashes when the niche will hold two receptacles. If the plan is in-ground cremation burial, a standard cremation urns for ashes selection may still work well, but it is wise to confirm whether an urn vault is required before choosing shape and material. If you need help matching urn type to placement, Funeral.com’s guide How to Choose a Cremation Urn focuses on placement-driven decisions, including niche fit, burial requirements, and closure type.

Many Veteran families also decide to share a portion of remains among children or siblings, especially when one person will travel to a Maine cemetery and others live out of state. That is where keepsake urns or cremation jewelry can fit into the plan without changing the cemetery decision. Families who want a wearable keepsake often begin with cremation necklaces or the broader cremation jewelry collection, and the Journal article Cremation Jewelry 101 offers a practical overview of filling, materials, and seal styles.

Finally, sometimes the plan changes. A winter burial schedule, a family member’s travel constraints, or a delay in decision-making may mean the family chooses keeping ashes at home temporarily, or decides on water burial later, or simply needs help thinking through what to do with ashes after the cremation is complete. Funeral.com’s resources Keeping Cremation Ashes at Home, Water Burial and Burial at Sea, and What to Do With Cremation Ashes are designed for that “we need a plan, but we are not ready to decide everything today” moment.

Provider checklist for comparing Maine cemetery options

• Confirm eligibility early: DD214 (or equivalent), discharge status, Guard/Reserve nuances, and spouse/dependent eligibility.
• Decide whether your priority is a VA national cemetery (often Acadia), the Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery System, or a private cemetery with VA memorial items.
• Ask about niche availability and niche dimensions before purchasing an urn; MVCS niche dimensions are published on Maine’s official FAQ.
• Clarify what is “no cost” versus “still out of pocket” (cremation, funeral home charges, transportation, obituary, travel, urn, urn vault requirements, private cemetery setting fees).
• Confirm scheduling expectations: committal service length, whether services are held at a shelter, and whether winter conditions affect timing in Northern Maine.
• Ask who orders the marker or niche cover and who collects inscription details; decide what will be included (rank, awards, emblem of belief, spouse inscription rules if applicable).
• Ask for a realistic inscription/engraving timeline and whether the cemetery can provide a current estimate for production and installation.
• Coordinate Military Funeral Honors through the funeral director or honors coordinator and confirm what documentation they need.
• Plan travel and transfer logistics across Maine (especially if family members are coming from out of state or the chosen cemetery is far from the place of death).
• If a burial allowance may apply, gather receipts and supporting documents early and use the VA’s official application pathway.