FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Congress authorized FEMA to provide up to $9,000 in financial assistance to individuals who incurred COVID-19-related funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.
Through this program, our government is recognizing the great loss our country has suffered because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Who is 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.
How to apply
COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number
Applications begin on April 12, 2021
844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time
You will be able to call this dedicated toll-free phone number to get an application completed with help from FEMA's representatives.
No online applications will be accepted.
Multilingual services will be available.
Once an applicant has applied for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance and is provided an application number, they may provide supporting documentation to FEMA a few ways:
Upload to their DisasterAssistance.gov account
Fax documents
Mail documents
If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, FEMA encourages you to gather the following information:
- 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.
How are funds received?
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.
Helpful Links:
https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgvN_9m58Z0
We are available to assist your family with this application. Please call us at 573-674-2293 to set up an appointment.
