FEMA to Reimburse Eligible Applicants for Funeral Costs Due to COVID-19

April 13, 2021

In keeping with FEMA’s mission of helping people before, during and after disasters, the agency is providing financial assistance for eligible COVID-19-related funeral expenses.

Eligible expenses must be for funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020, for individuals who died because of COVID-19 in the United States, its territories or the District of Columbia. Currently, there is no application deadline.

Assistance is available to U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals or qualified aliens such as green card holders, asylees and refugees. A deceased individual does not need to be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien.

Eligible applicants may apply by calling the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Helpline at 844-684-6333 or TTY: 800-462-7585 toll free, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. Multilingual services are available on the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Helpline.

The call center is experiencing a high number of calls, which is causing some technical issues. Some applicants are reaching operators, while others are receiving a busy signal.

We ask that applicants be patient as we work to correct these issues and have all their important documents ready when they call to apply. Additionally, there is no deadline to apply and applicants will have the ability to open a case.

FEMA will not rush through calls because we intend to make sure that every applicant gets their questions answered and receives the help they need to apply.

Once an individual applies for assistance, FEMA will send a letter explaining the documents required to process the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application.

These documents include:

• A copy of the death certificate indicating the death “may have been caused by” or “was likely the result of” COVID-19 or COVID-19-like symptoms.

• Proof of funeral expenses needs to include the applicant’s name as the individual who incurred the funeral expenses.

• The deceased individual’s name.

• The date and amount of funeral expenses incurred.

• Documentation of funeral assistance received from any other source.

Eligible COVID-19-related funeral expenses are covered under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

For more information visit FEMA's funeral assistance web page.

---

Story Source: FEMA Bulletin (Week of April 12, 2021)

Photo Credit: Rhodi Lopez