VA Keeps Form for Claiming Money Owed to Deceased Veterans
Published Date: 6/16/2025
Notice
Summary
The VA is asking for public feedback on keeping their form that helps family members claim money owed to veterans who have passed away. This form collects info to make sure the right people get the benefits they deserve. Comments are open until August 15, 2025, and there are no changes to the form itself—just a smooth extension to keep things running.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
VA keeps form to claim accrued benefits
You can continue to use VA Form 21P-601 (OMB Control No. 2900-0216) to claim accrued benefits that were due but unpaid to a deceased veteran. The Department of Veterans Affairs is extending the current approval for this form with no changes, and it invites comments by August 15, 2025.
Reimbursement option for last illness and burial expenses
If no eligible survivors are entitled to accrued benefits under 38 U.S.C. 5121(a), the person or persons who paid the deceased beneficiary's last illness and burial may claim reimbursement from accrued amounts. VA Form 21P-601 collects the information needed to determine entitlement and any reimbursement.
Time required to file the accrued-amounts form
Filing VA Form 21P-601 takes an average of 30 minutes per respondent. The VA estimates 5,449 respondents per year, for a total estimated annual burden of 2,725 hours.
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