How to Report

Contact VA: Calling is the fastest way for you to report the death of a Veteran, so VA knows to stop benefit payments. You can also report in person at a VA regional office or by mail. 

  • By Phone: Call VA at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711) and select 5. Agents are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET. 
  • In Person: Go to a VA regional office.  Find the nearest VA regional office 
  • By Mail: If you report by mail, include this information:
  1. Your relationship to the Veteran
  2. Any supporting documents that can help us verify the Veteran’s identity
  3. Send the supporting documentation to:
    • Department of Veterans Affairs
      Claims Intake Center 
      PO Box 4444 
      Janesville, WI 53547-4444 

Provide as much of this information as you can: You don’t need to have all this information ready when you contact us. Provide the following information, if available, to help us verify the Veteran’s identity. 

  • Full name 
  • Social Security number or VA claim number  
  • Date of birth 
  • Date of death 
  • Branch of service  

If you’re reporting the death of a Veteran at a VA regional office or by mail, provide copies of the following documents, if available: 

Best Practices

  • Save important files such as the Veteran’s military service/medical records, discharge papers, and copies of their VA claims.
  • Never give out Personally Identifiable Information (PII) via text and be cautious of suspicious hyperlinks or unfamiliar hyperlinks.  
  • Contact VA immediately at 800-827-1000 if a survivor is missing a VA benefits payment, identifies a discrepancy in payments, or suspicious activity with their direct deposit account.
  • Review all documents thoroughly. Survivors should never sign a blank form for someone else to complete later and retain a copy of the completed form for their records. 
  • Do notify the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) and any current financial institutions that the deceased person used so all accounts can be closed or transferred appropriately.  
  • According to AARP, scammers also use the names published in obituaries to pretend to be long-lost relatives of the deceased. Consider leaving out the birthdate, middle name, home address, birthplace, and mother’s maiden name from your loved one’s obituary.  

Reporting Fraud

  • If you miss a VA benefits payment, identify a discrepancy in payments, or find suspicious activity with your direct deposit account, contact the VA immediately at 800-827-1000.
  • Veterans who suspect they have experienced fraud can file a report by visiting www.vsafe.gov or calling 833-38V-SAFE.