The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many families. At FEMA, their mission is to help people before, during, and after disasters. They are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus.
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.
To apply contact FEMA at 844-684-6333 or TTY (for those deaf or hard of hearing) at 800-462-7585, any time between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Mountain time, Monday through Friday. Or you can search online for “FEMA Funeral Assistance” to find more information, or find the link below.
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.
If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, 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.
https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance
FEMA’s mission is to help people before, during, and after disasters.
Follow FEMA on twitter at https://twitter.com/