FEMA Reimbursement for COVID-19 Funeral Costs
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA will provide up to $9000 in financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.
To be eligible for funeral assistance:
The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.
The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.
Pre-paid funeral expenses will not be reimbursed.
Other funeral costs, related to the cemetery, monument, etc. are eligible for reimbursement.
Documentation:
If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, we encourage you to gather and keep documentation. Types of information should include:
A copy or scan of 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.
While Levine’s may be able to help you obtain these documents, please note: In order to receive documentation, you must be the person who paid for the funeral or primary contact on account.
How to apply for funeral assistance:
Step 1: All applications must begin by calling the phone number below.
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
Step 2: Once you have contacted FEMA and have an application number, you can upload supporting documentation to the DisasterAssistance.gov website (https://www.disasterassistance.gov). You can also mail or fax the documents.
Please be aware of scammers offering to help register you for funeral assistance. FEMA will not contact you in any way prior to beginning the registration process.
Need to know more? Answers to more specific questions are available on FEMA's Funeral Assistance FAQ (https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance/faq)