Help Paying For Funeral Costs
In early April, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will begin providing financial assistance for funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020 for deaths related to coronavirus (COVID-19) to help ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the pandemic.
FEMA will begin accepting applications for Funeral Assistance on Monday, April 12, 2021 through their dedicated call center at 844-684-6333. There is no deadline to apply.
Call the dedicated toll-free phone number (844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585) to get a COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application completed with help from FEMA's representatives. Multilingual services will be available.
Fraud Alert: FEMA has received reports of scammers reaching out to people offering to register them for funeral assistance. FEMA has not sent any such notifications and we do not contact people before they register for assistance.
What you can do to prepare:
- Gather your documentation now
- Please be patient when applying
More information regarding this program is available here.
Download a guide to the program here.
Haga clic aquí para obtener información en Español.
- The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020 for a death attributed to COVID-19.
- If multiple individuals contributed toward funeral expenses, they should apply under a single application as applicant and co-applicant. FEMA will also consider documentation from other individuals not listed as the applicant and co-applicant who may have incurred funeral expenses as part of the registration for the deceased individual.
- An applicant may apply for multiple deceased individuals.
- The COVID-19-related death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
- This assistance is limited to a maximum financial amount of $9,000 per funeral and a maximum of $35,500 per application.
- Funeral assistance is intended to assist with expenses for funeral services and interment or cremation.
What documentation do potential applicants need?
- An official death certificate that attributes the death to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the U. S. The death certificate must indicate the death “may have been caused by” or “was likely the result of” COVID-19 or COVID-19 like symptoms. Similar phrases that indicate a high likelihood of COVID-19 are considered sufficient attribution.
- Funeral expense documents (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) that include the applicant’s name, the deceased individual’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses were incurred.
- Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. Funeral assistance may not duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, federal/state/local/tribal/territorial government programs or agencies, or other sources.
How will applicants receive funds?
If you are eligible for funeral assistance you will receive a check by mail, or funds by direct deposit, depending on which option you choose when you apply for assistance.
Additional Information and Resources
For more information about the FEMA funeral assistance program, please visit: https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance
For general information and resources about Coronavirus, please visit: https://www.baldwin.senate.gov/coronavirus-resources
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