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Financial assistance available through FEMA for COVID-19 funeral-related expenses

June 23, 2021
If your family has incurred funeral expenses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for financial assistance.
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 Jan. 20, 2020.
To access information and assistance call the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Helpline, 844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585, Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time. Call this dedicated toll-free phone number to get a COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application completed with help from FEMA's representatives. Multilingual services will be available.
If you use a relay service, such as your videophone, Innocaption or CapTel, please provide your specific number assigned to that service. It is important that FEMA is able to contact you, and you should be aware phone calls from FEMA may come from an unidentified number.
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 Jan. 20, 2020.
  • There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.
You are encouraged to keep and gather all funeral-related 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 were incurred.
  • 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.
If you are eligible for funeral assistance you will receive a check by mail or by direct deposit, depending on which option you choose when you apply for assistance.
Additional resources may be found by going online to https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance.