Home COVID-19 FEMA Funeral Assistance

FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance

Updated: July 6, 2021

Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Congress authorized FEMA to provide financial assistance to individuals who incurred COVID-19-related funeral expenses after January 20, 2020. On March 24, FEMA has issued its final policy – which includes details such as eligibility and documentation criteria and the application process – for how funds will be distributed to families. Most notably, FEMA shared that the maximum financial assistance will now be $9,000 per funeral.

Did You Get a Call from FEMA?

As you know, beginning in mid-April, individuals who were responsible for funeral expenses for a loved one who died of COVID-19 were eligible to apply for FEMA Funeral Assistance. FEMA may contact funeral homes to validate information provided by an applicant, when needed. Learn more. 

Special FEMA FAQ For Funeral Directors

Funeral directors have had a number of specific questions regarding COVID-19 Funeral Assistance. FEMA has provided responses; find them here.

NEW: FEMA Updates Documentation Requirements for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance

FEMA has issued a revised policy for its COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program that offers more flexibility for documentation attributing a death caused by the coronavirus. Learn more. 

FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance - NFDA Member Toolkit

This is your chance to be a leader in your community! 

While we recognize that funeral directors are not responsible for administering this assistance, helping to educate the families you serve and your community about this assistance will go a long way in helping families honor the lives of their loved ones. Families and your community will see you as a key resource they can turn to in times of need. 

The FEMA toolkit is a members-only benefit. If you are a member, log in now to access!

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Families Can Apply Now!

Individuals could be applying for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance on April 12. The FEMA Funeral Assistance website has the phone numbers families can call to begin the application process. 

COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number
844-684-6333  ●  TTY: 800-462-7585
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT

FEMA is experiencing a high volume of calls and individuals may encounter a busy signal or longer-than-normal wait times. If families call you with concerns about not being able to speak to a FEMA representative, please remind them there is no deadline to apply for funeral assistance. FEMA asks for patience so they can give each caller the care and attention they deserve.

FEMA also notes that, due to the volume of applications, it can take up to 10 days for documentation submitted via the DisasterAssistance.gov website to appear in an applicant's profile. 

(Video updated June 2021; see "Additional Resources" section below for a video in Spanish.)

 

FEMA will only award COVID-19 Funeral Assistance for a deceased individual on a single application. If multiple individuals contributed toward funeral expenses, they should register under a single application as applicant and co-applicant. The applicant or co-applicant must have incurred the funeral expenses. The deceased individual’s documentation status is not considered as part of the reimbursement process, but the applicant(s) must be U.S. citizens, legal residents, asylees, refugees, or non-citizen nationals.

Families should decide who the applicant and any co-applicants will be and gather the documents they need to be reimbursed for expenses.

Specifically, the applicant must provide the following documents:

  • A copy of the death certificate. The death certificate must indicate the death "may have been caused by" or "was likely a result of" COVID-19 or COVID-19-like symptoms. Similar phrases that indicate a high likelihood of COVID-19 are also considered sufficient.
    • Update: On June 30, 2021, FEMA issued a new policy that enables the individual who certified a death or the local medical examiners to provide a letter attributing the death to COVID-19 in lieu of an amended death certificate. Learn more.
  • Proof of funeral expenses incurred. Documentation (e.g., receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) must include the applicant's name as the responsible person for the expense, the decedent’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and that funeral expenses were incurred after January 20, 2020.

Eligible funeral expenses include but are not limited to:

  • Transportation for up to two individuals to identify the deceased individual
  • Transfer of remains
  • Casket or urn
  • Burial plot or cremation niche
  • Marker or headstone
  • Clergy or officiant services
  • Arrangement of the funeral ceremony
  • Use of funeral home equipment or staff
  • Cremation or interment costs
  • Costs associated with producing and certifying multiple death certificates
  • Additional expenses mandated by any applicable local or state government laws or ordinances.

If applicants already received reimbursement for certain funeral expenses through government agencies, voluntary agencies, non-profits, burial or funeral insurance, they cannot resubmit those same expenses for reimbursement through this FEMA-administered program. If they received any outside assistance, they must include documentation of this assistance in their application. If they received financial assistance through the deceased’s life insurance policy, they may still apply for reimbursement.

Additional Resources