FEMA To Accept Applications for COVID-19 Funeral Cost Assistance

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WASHINGTON DC – The Federal Emergency Management Agency will begin accepting applications on Monday, April 12, for its program to assist families with the financial expenses of funerals for COVID-19 related deaths.

FEMA’s COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program will reimburse individuals and households for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred between Jan. 20, 2020 and December 2020 to help ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the pandemic.

The program is funded with $2 billion from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

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The assistance is limited to a maximum of $9,000 per funeral and a maximum of $35,500 per application.

COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number Applications begin on April 12, 2021
844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time

Call this dedicated toll-free phone number to get a COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application completed with help from FEMA’s representatives. Multilingual services will be available.

Get answers to frequently asked questions about the application process on our Funeral Assistance FAQ page.

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Who is Eligible?

To be eligible for funeral assistance, you must meet these conditions:

• The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
• The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.
• The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.
• There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.

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If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, we encourage you to keep and gather documentation. Types of information should include:

• An official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
• Funeral expenses documents (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) that includes the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses happened.
• Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. We are not able to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources.

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.