Disclaimer: General educational research only — not legal or benefits advice. VA rules change; check VA.gov or work with a VA-accredited representative or an estate planning attorney about your situation.
Estate Planning Data & Research → Veterans’ Estate Planning by State
Veterans Day honors service. For a growing number of veterans’ families, it’s also a reminder of a paperwork job: making sure a veteran’s wishes, benefits and records are easy to find when the family needs them.
America’s veteran population is old and getting older: nearly three in ten veterans are now 75 or older. And several VA benefits don’t pass through a will at all. They go to the people federal law names, often with strict deadlines.
We used the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey to count veterans 65 and older in every state. We checked those numbers against VA’s own population model and added the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s 2025 figures on VA benefits paid to each state’s residents.
VA benefits follow federal rules, and everything else follows your plan. Veterans Day is a good time to make sure that plan exists. See whether you need a will, a living trust or both.
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Cite this page URL when reusing findings. Not a substitute for official sources or professional advice.
Key findings
- 7.7 million veterans are 65 or older: 7,704,556 (±36,850), or 49.1% (±0.3) of the 15.7 million veterans in the civilian adult population. VA’s own model, which counts differently, puts the number at about 8,303,000 of 18,267,000 living veterans (45%) as of Sept. 30, 2023.
- 4.6 million veterans are 75 or older, 29.1% of all veterans.
- One in eight Americans 65 and older is a veteran (12.6% ±0.1). The share is highest in Alaska (18.6% ±1.7), Wyoming (16.4%), Virginia (16.1%) and Washington (16.0%), and lowest in New York (8.2%) and New Jersey (8.5%).
- Vermont’s veterans are the oldest. 62.6% (±2.4) of Vermont veterans are 65+. Minnesota, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island follow (57.7% to 58.5%). Alaska (38.1%) and Texas (40.0%) have the youngest veteran populations.
- Florida has the most older veterans: 681,095 (±11,578). California has 632,611 and Texas 566,329.
- 456,270 women veterans are 65+ (±11,181).
- VA benefits paid to residents reached $260.5 billion in 2025, up from $152.6 billion in 2021, per BEA. Texas ($30.0 billion), Florida ($22.9 billion) and California ($21.0 billion) receive the most.
State-by-state table
Civilian veterans 18 and older, 2024 ACS 1-year estimates. MOE = 90% margin of error. VA benefits are BEA’s 2025 estimate of veterans’ benefits paid to state residents: pension and disability payments, readjustment benefits, veterans’ life insurance payments and other assistance.
| State | Veterans 65+ (±MOE) | Share of veterans who are 65+ | Share of all residents 65+ who are veterans | Veterans 75+ | VA benefits paid to residents, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 132,510 (±4,811) | 44.3% (±0.8) | 13.9% (±0.5) | 70,979 | $6.3B |
| Alaska | 20,338 (±1,847) | 38.1% (±2.7) | 18.6% (±1.7) | 9,933 | $1.2B |
| Arizona | 232,703 (±6,030) | 52.6% (±0.7) | 15.6% (±0.4) | 151,568 | $6.6B |
| Arkansas | 81,445 (±3,671) | 49.3% (±1.2) | 14.5% (±0.6) | 43,470 | $3.1B |
| California | 632,611 (±10,979) | 51.0% (±0.5) | 9.7% (±0.2) | 405,894 | $21.0B |
| Colorado | 138,340 (±5,077) | 42.1% (±1.0) | 14.1% (±0.5) | 76,526 | $5.5B |
| Connecticut | 75,436 (±3,704) | 58.2% (±1.6) | 10.6% (±0.5) | 51,075 | $1.4B |
| Delaware | 32,349 (±2,267) | 54.0% (±2.5) | 14.2% (±1.0) | 19,264 | $0.8B |
| District of Columbia | 8,188 (±1,338) | 45.9% (±4.9) | 9.0% (±1.5) | 5,281 | $0.3B |
| Florida | 681,095 (±11,578) | 52.1% (±0.3) | 13.4% (±0.2) | 412,113 | $22.9B |
| Georgia | 248,754 (±7,390) | 41.2% (±0.9) | 14.1% (±0.4) | 131,123 | $12.1B |
| Hawaii | 43,754 (±2,555) | 52.5% (±1.2) | 14.1% (±0.8) | 27,522 | $1.7B |
| Idaho | 52,934 (±2,823) | 46.6% (±1.7) | 14.9% (±0.8) | 30,052 | $1.8B |
| Illinois | 237,597 (±6,074) | 52.5% (±0.4) | 10.4% (±0.3) | 149,563 | $5.8B |
| Indiana | 155,842 (±4,683) | 49.3% (±0.9) | 12.8% (±0.4) | 92,793 | $4.1B |
| Iowa | 81,838 (±2,968) | 52.6% (±0.9) | 13.4% (±0.5) | 50,427 | $2.0B |
| Kansas | 73,943 (±3,117) | 49.2% (±0.5) | 13.9% (±0.6) | 43,609 | $2.2B |
| Kentucky | 101,537 (±3,950) | 46.0% (±0.9) | 12.3% (±0.5) | 57,263 | $3.6B |
| Louisiana | 98,983 (±4,275) | 46.7% (±1.2) | 12.1% (±0.5) | 55,202 | $4.0B |
| Maine | 46,699 (±2,752) | 53.2% (±1.9) | 14.2% (±0.8) | 28,767 | $1.5B |
| Maryland | 140,493 (±4,912) | 42.3% (±0.5) | 12.8% (±0.4) | 77,640 | $4.9B |
| Massachusetts | 131,822 (±4,896) | 57.8% (±1.1) | 9.9% (±0.4) | 89,987 | $3.0B |
| Michigan | 239,228 (±5,704) | 54.9% (±0.7) | 12.0% (±0.3) | 144,599 | $5.8B |
| Minnesota | 144,432 (±4,231) | 58.5% (±0.8) | 13.7% (±0.4) | 88,696 | $3.4B |
| Mississippi | 66,694 (±3,165) | 47.2% (±0.8) | 12.6% (±0.6) | 35,488 | $2.9B |
| Missouri | 171,326 (±5,155) | 50.2% (±0.6) | 14.7% (±0.4) | 97,319 | $5.1B |
| Montana | 37,099 (±2,538) | 48.6% (±1.4) | 15.4% (±1.0) | 20,740 | $1.4B |
| Nebraska | 47,639 (±2,560) | 49.0% (±0.9) | 13.7% (±0.7) | 27,190 | $1.7B |
| Nevada | 90,263 (±4,308) | 49.0% (±1.4) | 15.7% (±0.7) | 52,893 | $3.6B |
| New Hampshire | 44,832 (±2,763) | 55.0% (±1.3) | 14.8% (±0.9) | 26,304 | $1.1B |
| New Jersey | 145,779 (±5,138) | 58.4% (±1.0) | 8.5% (±0.3) | 98,137 | $3.1B |
| New Mexico | 64,520 (±3,320) | 51.8% (±1.4) | 15.0% (±0.8) | 36,587 | $2.2B |
| New York | 309,715 (±7,661) | 56.3% (±0.8) | 8.2% (±0.2) | 201,447 | $6.3B |
| North Carolina | 276,815 (±7,533) | 44.6% (±0.8) | 14.0% (±0.4) | 154,058 | $12.8B |
| North Dakota | 21,826 (±1,781) | 52.1% (±0.9) | 15.6% (±1.3) | 13,074 | $0.6B |
| Ohio | 286,780 (±6,560) | 50.1% (±0.6) | 12.6% (±0.3) | 173,212 | $7.4B |
| Oklahoma | 108,698 (±3,477) | 46.4% (±0.7) | 15.7% (±0.5) | 59,673 | $5.1B |
| Oregon | 131,800 (±4,880) | 56.5% (±1.2) | 15.5% (±0.6) | 78,892 | $3.7B |
| Pennsylvania | 334,312 (±7,434) | 55.6% (±0.8) | 12.5% (±0.3) | 209,794 | $7.0B |
| Rhode Island | 25,032 (±2,354) | 57.7% (±7.7) | 11.4% (±1.1) | 16,244 | $0.6B |
| South Carolina | 165,906 (±5,581) | 48.0% (±2.3) | 15.3% (±0.5) | 94,270 | $6.8B |
| South Dakota | 25,311 (±2,057) | 48.7% (±1.6) | 14.4% (±1.2) | 12,624 | $0.9B |
| Tennessee | 186,184 (±6,642) | 46.5% (±1.0) | 14.6% (±0.5) | 106,425 | $7.0B |
| Texas | 566,329 (±10,928) | 40.0% (±0.6) | 13.0% (±0.2) | 308,731 | $30.0B |
| Utah | 53,839 (±2,972) | 49.2% (±1.6) | 12.4% (±0.7) | 33,700 | $1.7B |
| Vermont | 19,161 (±1,543) | 62.6% (±2.4) | 12.9% (±1.0) | 11,079 | $0.4B |
| Virginia | 249,022 (±6,116) | 41.3% (±0.6) | 16.1% (±0.4) | 133,096 | $11.2B |
| Washington | 220,333 (±5,797) | 48.4% (±0.8) | 16.0% (±0.4) | 122,975 | $6.6B |
| West Virginia | 53,536 (±2,711) | 51.6% (±0.8) | 13.8% (±0.7) | 30,884 | $2.1B |
| Wisconsin | 149,663 (±4,316) | 54.9% (±0.8) | 12.8% (±0.4) | 89,069 | $3.7B |
| Wyoming | 19,271 (±1,698) | 51.7% (±2.0) | 16.4% (±1.4) | 10,766 | $0.7B |
Why the numbers differ from state to state
When people served. States with many Vietnam-era and older veterans, and fewer recent service members, have higher 65+ shares. Northeastern and Upper Midwest states lead.
Military presence. Alaska, Texas, Georgia and Virginia, all home to major military installations, have the youngest veteran populations in the table.
Two sources, two methods. The Census figure comes from a survey of the civilian population. VA’s VetPop model combines VA records, Defense Department data and Census data and projects forward. VA says its numbers should be rounded to the nearest 1,000. Use the Census table for state comparisons with margins of error, and VA’s figure for the national total.
VA benefits that don’t follow a will
A will controls property in the veteran’s own name. Several VA benefits work differently:
- Unpaid (“accrued”) VA benefits. If VA owed a veteran money at death, federal law (38 U.S.C. 5121) pays it first to a surviving spouse, then to children in equal shares, then to dependent parents. If none of them exist, VA can only reimburse whoever paid for the last illness and burial. The claim must be filed within one year of death.
- VA life insurance (SGLI/VGLI). It pays the beneficiaries named with the Office of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance, not the will. VA lets you update beneficiaries online or on form SGLV 8721.
- Survivor benefits. Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and survivors pension are paid to eligible survivors under VA rules.
- Burial allowances. For a non-service-connected death on or after Oct. 1, 2025, VA pays up to $1,002 for burial and $1,002 for a plot. For deaths on or after Oct. 1, 2026, it’s $1,032 each. For a service-connected death on or after Sept. 11, 2001, the burial allowance is up to $2,000. Claims for a non-service-connected death generally must be filed within 2 years of burial, though there are exceptions.
A veteran’s estate planning checklist
- A will or living trust for the home, accounts and personal property, including medals and service memorabilia. Name who receives them.
- DD214 or other separation papers stored with the will. VA asks for it for burial benefits and cemetery eligibility.
- A pre-need burial eligibility determination. VA lets veterans apply in advance to confirm eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery (VA Form 40-10007). That saves the family a step later.
- Updated beneficiaries on VGLI, other life insurance, the Thrift Savings Plan and retirement accounts.
- A durable power of attorney and health care directive. VA’s pre-need application even lists a durable power of attorney as one way a family member can apply for someone who can’t.
- A letter to the family listing VA claim numbers, the VA regional office and any VA-accredited representative.
See our list of essential estate documents and the estate planning checklist. If you’re helping an aging veteran parent, start with when your parents are getting older.
Related: Older adults living alone, by state · The incapacity gap · Money that skips the will
Methodology
Census data. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B21001 (Sex by Age by Veteran Status for the civilian population 18 years and over). “Veterans 65+” adds men and women veterans aged 65–74 and 75+ (B21001_017, _020, _035, _038). “All residents 65+” adds the four 65–74 and 75+ totals (_016, _019, _034, _037). MOEs were combined with the Census Bureau’s root-sum-of-squares formula; share MOEs use its proportion formula. Puerto Rico is excluded from the state table and U.S. total.
VA data. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, VetPop2023 Table 6L (living veterans by state, age group and sex), as of Sept. 30, 2023, rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA instructs.
Benefits. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, SAINC35 line 2500 (veterans’ benefits), 2021–2025, pulled Oct. 8, 2026.
Rules. VA burial allowance, pre-need eligibility, accrued benefits and VGLI pages, and 38 U.S.C. 5121, all checked Oct. 8, 2026.
What this doesn’t measure. No federal source reports how many veterans have a will or trust. BEA’s benefit totals are dollars paid, not the number of recipients.
Frequently asked questions
How many veterans are 65 or older?
About 7.7 million in the Census Bureau’s 2024 survey (civilian population), or about 8.3 million in VA’s model as of September 2023. Either way, roughly half of all veterans.
Do VA benefits go to the people named in my will?
Most don’t. Unpaid VA benefits follow a federal order (spouse, then children, then dependent parents), and VA life insurance pays the beneficiaries on file. Your will controls property in your own name.
What burial benefits does VA provide?
Eligible veterans can be buried in a VA national cemetery. Depending on the circumstances, VA also pays burial and plot allowances, which are up to $1,002 each for non-service-connected deaths on or after Oct. 1, 2025. VA also provides headstones or markers.
Can I find out now whether I’m eligible for a VA national cemetery?
Yes. VA’s pre-need eligibility determination (VA Form 40-10007, or online) confirms eligibility before the time of need.
Is there a deadline for accrued VA benefits?
Yes. Survivors must apply within one year of the veteran’s death.
Sources
U.S. government public-domain data and official agency pages only.
Data (pulled 2026-10-08)
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, B21001 (Sex by Age by Veteran Status, civilian population 18+): https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1/groups/B21001.html .
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, NCVAS, VetPop2023 Table 6L (state × age × sex, as of 9/30/2023): https://www.va.gov/VETDATA/docs/Demographics/New_Vetpop_Model/6L_VetPop2023_State_NCVAS.xlsx (index: https://www.va.gov/vetdata/veteran_population.asp).
- BEA definition of veterans’ benefits: Local Area Personal Income and Employment Methodology, https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/methodologies/lapi2016.pdf
VA rules (checked 2026-10-08)
- Burial allowance amounts and filing limits (page last updated Oct 7, 2026): https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/veterans-burial-allowance/
- Pre-need eligibility determination (VA Form 40-10007): https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/pre-need-eligibility/
- Accrued benefits (order of payment; one-year deadline): https://www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/survivor-compensation/accrued-benefits/ ; statute 38 U.S.C. 5121: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/38/5121 ; VA Form 21P-601: https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21P-601-ARE.pdf
- VGLI (beneficiary updates, SGLV 8721): https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/options-eligibility/vgli/
Cite this data
Family Estate Guide, “Veterans’ Estate Planning by State: Half of America’s Veterans Are Now 65 or Older,” October 2026. https://familyestateguide.com/estate-planning-data/veterans-estate-planning-by-state/
You’re welcome to reuse the table or map with a link back to this page. Census, VA and BEA data are public domain.
Published October 8, 2026 by Family Estate Guide. Data vintage: ACS 2024 1-year estimates; VA VetPop2023 (as of Sept. 30, 2023); BEA 2025 state transfer receipts (pulled Oct. 8, 2026). VA rules checked Oct. 8, 2026. Editorial standards.