Ottawa County Veteran Burial Allowance

Michigan requires every county to pay at least $300 toward the burial of a qualifying wartime veteran, spouse or surviving spouse (MCL 35.801; see the Michigan entry on the county burial allowance). Ottawa County pays $600, for a deceased veteran or a veteran's deceased spouse. Who qualifies, by the county's page. An Ottawa County resident with an honorable discharge and 90 days of active wartime service other than training, within an asset limit of $70,000. Bring the burial allowance application, the DD-214 showing active service and character of discharge, the death certificate showing Ottawa County residence, and the funeral home invoice showing the cost, the balance and who is responsible. Applications can be sent electronically and are reviewed case by case. Against the statute. The $70,000 asset limit is more generous than the statute's $40,000 (homestead excluded). The statute pays for a veteran discharged "under honorable conditions", which takes in a general discharge, and for a veteran with less than 90 days whose service ended because of a service-connected disability; the county page names only an honorable discharge and 90 days. A family in either position should apply and cite 35.801, at least for the $300 the county must pay. The claim must be made within two years of the death. What the county paid. The department's 2025 annual report (read 2026-10-13) counts $18,300 "provided to Veteran families for burial assistance" in fiscal 2025, the only public figure for the programme. Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta (269-731-4164) is the nearest national cemetery. Call 616-393-8387.