If a family member died as a result of COVID-19, the Federal Emergency Management Agency offers financial assistance of up to $35,000 in funeral expenses.
To alleviate some of the financial stress and hardship caused by the pandemic, FEMA’s COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program will reimburse individuals and families for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred between January 20, 2020 and December 2020.
The program provides up to $9,000 per funeral, up to a maximum of $35,500 per application, allowing applicants to apply for several deceased loved ones. There is no fee to apply, and there is currently no deadline.
This program is funded by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, as well as the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
The agency began accepting applications on Monday for its program and according to FEMA, you must meet the following criteria to be eligible:
- 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.
Those that qualify may call FEMA’s COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line at 844-684-6333 (TTY: 800-462-7585) Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. ET to 9 p.m. ET, to complete an application. According to FEMA, the application process will take about 20 minutes, and multilingual services will be available. Online applications are not accepted.
Visit Funeral Assistance FAQ | FEMA.gov to learn more about COVID-19 funeral assistance.
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