FEMA Still Has Money to Pay for Covid-Related Funerals; Here’s How to Apply

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a program to help pay for funeral expenses after a loved one dies from COVID-19.

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 on or after January 20, 2020.

To Apply, contact the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Helpline at 844-684-6333 or TTY: 800-462-7585. The hours of operation are Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central. Call this dedicated, toll-free phone number to complete your COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application with a FEMA representative. Multilingual services are available.

If you use a relay service, such as your videophone, Innocaption or CapTel, please provide the specific number assigned to you for 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.

The Funeral Assistance Policy is as follows:

On June 29, 2021, FEMA amended the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance policy to assist with COVID-19 related deaths that occurred in the early months of the pandemic.

The Following are the Required Documents:

Official death certificate that shows the death occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories and District of Columbia.
If the death certificate was issued between Jan. 20 and May 16, 2020, it must either 1) attribute the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 or 2) be accompanied by a signed statement from the original certifier of the death certificate or the local medical examiner or coroner from the jurisdiction in which the death occurred listing COVID-19 as a cause or contributing cause of death. This signed statement must provide an additional explanation, or causal pathway, linking the cause of death listed on the death certificate to COVID-19.
If the death certificate occurred on or after May 17, 2020, the death certificate must attribute the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19.

If you are eligible for funeral assistance, you will receive funds by direct deposit or a check by mail, depending on which option you chose when you applied for assistance.

Get answers to frequently asked questions about the application process on the Funeral A ssistance FAQ page.