FEMA REIMBURSING FUNERAL COSTS FOR COVID-19 VICTIMS

This is the announcement about the funeral expense assistance from FEMA.  They will be accepting applications on Monday April 12, 2021 by phone only.

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. Central Time

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. Today, 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.

Additionally, 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.

Now is the time for families to decide who the applicant and any co-applicants will be and to 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.

    Proof of funeral expenses incurred. Documentation (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) must include the applicant’s name as the responsible person for the expense, the deceased individual’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:

If applicants already received reimbursement for certain funeral expenses through government agencies, voluntary agencies, non-profits, preneed insurance or a funeral trust, 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.

Please review this information carefully so you can be prepared to provide information and technical assistance to families and friends of the deceased who may be eligible.

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Funeral Homes are not allowed to call and register/apply for the funds.

If the funeral was pre-paid by any type of Pre-need payments (Insurance/Trust) the individual is not eligible for the Funeral Assistance.

The individual may still apply for assistance if the funeral bill exceeds the prepaid amount up to $9,000.

If the individual is eligible for funeral assistance, they will receive a check by mail, or funds by direct deposit, depending on which option they choose when they apply.  The funds cannot be “assigned” to the funeral home.