## Section C. Development {#section-c.-development .unnumbered}

#### Overview {#overview .unnumbered}

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > This section contains information about the           |
| Introducti | > development of claims for burial benefits.            |
| on {#intro |                                                         |
| duction .u | > The development of a claim for burial benefits        |
| nnumbered} | > includes determining if the                           |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   required evidence is available, and                 |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   services or expenses can be confirmed.              |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #          | > This section contains the following topics:           |
| #### In th |                                                         |
| is Section |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

  ----------- ---------------------------------------------- ------------
  Topic       Topic Name                                     See Page

  8           Required Evidence                              1-C-2

  9           Confirmation of Services Provided              1-C-5
  ----------- ---------------------------------------------- ------------

#### 8. Required Evidence

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### In   | > This topic explains the types of evidence that are    |
| troduction | > required by VA to develop claims for burial benefits, |
|            | > including                                             |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   *VA Form 21-530, Application for Burial Benefits*   |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   propriety of claimant                               |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   proof of death                                      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   a statement of account                              |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   receipted bills                                     |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   express and railroad receipts, and                  |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   extra items and services.                           |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### C    | > April 26, 2005                                        |
| hange Date |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > *VA Form 21-530* must                                 |
| a. VA Form |                                                         |
|  21-530 {# | -   be fully completed                                  |
| a.-va-form |                                                         |
| -21-530 .u | -   contain the signature of the claimant, and          |
| nnumbered} |                                                         |
|            | -   contain the signature of the individual who         |
|            |     authorized the service, if the claimant provided    |
|            |     the service.                                        |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

8\. Required Evidence, Continued

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### b. P | > Both the claimant and the person who authorized       |
| ropriety o | > services certify by their signature on the *VA Form   |
| f Claimant | > 21-530* that the statements contained on the          |
|  {#b.-prop | > application are true and correct.                     |
| riety-of-c |                                                         |
| laimant .u | > In some cases, the evidence may show that the         |
| nnumbered} | > individual signing *VA Form 21-530* as the "person    |
|            | > who authorized services" is actually the proper       |
|            | > claimant entitled to the burial allowance.            |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > In that situation                                     |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   pay the person who authorized services              |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   do not request completion of another *VA Form       |
|            |     21-530*, and                                        |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   inform the person or business signing as claimant   |
|            |     of your action.                                     |
|            |                                                         |
|            |     > ***Reference***: For more information on required |
|            |     > evidence, see [38 CFR                             |
|            |     > 3.1601(b)](http://ww                              |
|            | w.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38CFR/BOOKB/PART3/S3_1601.DOC). |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > Acceptable proof of death as specified in [38 CFR     |
| c. Proof o | > 3.211](http://                                        |
| f Death {# | www.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38CFR/BOOKB/PART3/S3_211.DOC) |
| c.-proof-o | > is required.                                          |
| f-death .u |                                                         |
| nnumbered} |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### d.   | > The claim must be supported by a statement of         |
|  Statement | > account, preferably on the printed billhead of the    |
|  of Accoun | > funeral director or cemetery owner.                   |
| t {#d.-sta |                                                         |
| tement-of- | > The statement of account must show                    |
| account .u |                                                         |
| nnumbered} | -   the name of the deceased veteran for whom the       |
|            |     services and merchandise were furnished             |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   the nature and cost of the services and merchandise |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   all credits, and                                    |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   the amount of the unpaid balance, if any.           |
|            |                                                         |
|            |     > ***Reference***: For more information on the      |
|            |     > statement of account, see [38 CFR                 |
|            |     > 3.1601(b)(1)](http://ww                           |
|            | w.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38CFR/BOOKB/PART3/S3_1601.DOC). |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

8\. Required Evidence, Continued

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### e.   | > Receipted bills must show that the claimant made      |
|  Receipted | > payment in whole or part. If the claimant requests,   |
|  Bills {#e | > make copies of the receipted bills and return the     |
| .-receipte | > originals.                                            |
| d-bills .u |                                                         |
| nnumbered} | > A statement of account is acceptable in lieu of a     |
|            | > receipted bill if it is receipted in accordance with  |
|            | > acceptable practice, such as one initialed or         |
|            | > stamped.                                              |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > ***Important***: Do *not* accept an affidavit or      |
|            | > other statement of the claimant in lieu of a receipt. |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > ***Reference***: For more information on receipted    |
|            | > bills, see [38 CFR                                    |
|            | > 3.1601(b)(2)](http://ww                               |
|            | w.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38CFR/BOOKB/PART3/S3_1601.DOC). |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > When payment of a transportation allowance is at      |
| f. Express | > issue, all receipts covering express charges of       |
|  and Railr | > railroad fares should show the name of the person     |
| oad Receip |                                                         |
| ts {#f.-ex | -   whose body was transported, and                     |
| press-and- |                                                         |
| railroad-r | -   who paid the transportation charges.                |
| eceipts .u |                                                         |
| nnumbered} |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ####       | > Receipts are *not* required when the following are    |
| # g. Extra | > listed on an unpaid bill supporting a claim for the   |
|  Items or  | > burial or plot-interment allowance:                   |
| Services { |                                                         |
| #g.-extra- | -   charges for items not ordinarily carried in a       |
| items-or-s |     creditor's stock, or                                |
| ervices .u |                                                         |
| nnumbered} | -   services performed by persons other than the        |
|            |     creditor or his/her regular employees.              |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

#### 9. Confirmation of Services Provided {#confirmation-of-services-provided .unnumbered}

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### In   | > After the required evidence has been obtained, the    |
| troduction | > services that were reportedly provided must be        |
|  {#introdu | > confirmed.                                            |
| ction-2 .u |                                                         |
| nnumbered} | > This topic contains information on                    |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   confirming services when the                        |
|            |                                                         |
|            | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   signature of the authorizing person is missing, or  |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   person who authorized services is unavailable for   |
|            |     signature                                           |
|            |                                                         |
|            | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   confirmation by a coroner, and                      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   the need for development.                           |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### C    | > April 26, 2005                                        |
| hange Date |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##         | > When the signature of the person authorizing the      |
| ### a. Sig | > services is missing from the *VA Form 21-530*         |
| nature of  |                                                         |
| Authorizin | -   make a copy of the form                             |
| g Person I |                                                         |
| s Missing  | -   return the original to the claimant, and            |
| {#a.-signa |                                                         |
| ture-of-au | -   request the signature of the person authorizing the |
| thorizing- |     services.                                           |
| person-is- |                                                         |
| missing .u |                                                         |
| nnumbered} |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > In some cases, the person who authorized the services |
| b. Person  | > cannot be located.                                    |
| Who Author |                                                         |
| ized Servi | > In this situation, the claim may be confirmed by the  |
| ces Is Una |                                                         |
| vailable f | -   administrator or executor of the veteran's estate,  |
| or Signatu |     or                                                  |
| re {#b.-pe |                                                         |
| rson-who-a | -   other person, preferably a relative, who            |
| uthorized- |                                                         |
| services-i | ```{=html}                                              |
| s-unavaila | <!-- -->                                                |
| ble-for-si | ```                                                     |
| gnature .u | -   has knowledge of the transaction                    |
| nnumbered} |                                                         |
|            | -   viewed the remains, or                              |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   attended the funeral.                               |
|            |                                                         |
|            |     > If no person can be found to confirm the          |
|            |     > services, accept the statement of the creditor.   |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

9\. Confirmation of Services Provided, Continued

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### c.   | > A claim authenticated by a coroner, who is also a     |
|  Confirmat | > creditor, is an acceptable confirmation of service.   |
| ion by a C |                                                         |
| oroner {#c |                                                         |
| .-confirma |                                                         |
| tion-by-a- |                                                         |
| coroner .u |                                                         |
| nnumbered} |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### d.   | > Do *not* develop to determine if the creditor remains |
|  Need for  | > unpaid, regardless of the amount of time that has     |
| Developmen | > passed since the funeral.                             |
| t {#d.-nee |                                                         |
| d-for-deve | > Initiate development only if there is information of  |
| lopment .u | > record that raises the question that the creditor may |
| nnumbered} | > have received payment.                                |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+