With over 560,000 coronavirus-related deaths in the United States since January 2020, many families have been forced to endure the loss of a loved one during this pandemic.

If you lost a loved one due to COVID-19 in the US, you may be eligible for up to $9,000 in reimbursement for their funeral expenses via a new program from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Beginning on April 12, 2021, FEMA began reviewing applications and dispersing reimbursements, hoping to ease some of the tremendous burden families have experienced.

Read on for answers to the biggest questions you may have about FEMA’s COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Program, including who’s eligible and how to apply.

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Quick facts:

Your loved one must have passed away directly or indirectly from COVID-19 in the US
You’re eligible for up to $9,000 in expense reimbursement used for their funeral expenses, cremation or interment, and other expenses such as their headstone or marker
You’ll need to call FEMA to apply at 844-684-6333, there are no online applications; it will take about 20 minutes
There is currently NO deadline to apply

In the article below, you’ll find:

Additional resources

Looking to support a friend during their time of grief? We’ve gathered some additional resources here that will help you to reach out, share your love, and be supportive.

And if you’re planning a virtual memorial service or wake, download our free, step-by-step guide to planning a virtual memorial event via Zoom here.

Who’s eligible to apply for the FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Program?

FEMA will review your application and ultimately determine who is eligible to receive reimbuTo be eligible to receive COVID-19 funeral assistance funds from FEMA:

Your loved one’s death was related to COVID-19, i.e. their death certificate indicates this (read next section for more details on this)
Your loved one’s death occurred within the United States, a U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia
You paid for your loved one’s funeral expenses after January 20, 2020
The applicant, i.e. you, are a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien. Note: Your loved one need not have had any U.S. citizenship status.
The applicant, i.e. you, paid for the funeral expenses; if you and others contributed towards their funeral expenses, you should submit one registration with co-applicants
The funeral expenses occurred after January 20, 2020

What does their death certificate need to say?

Your loved one’s death certificate must indicate that COVID-19 played a role in their death, directly or indirectly. Death certificates that indicate their death "may have been caused by" or "was likely a result of" COVID 19 or “COVID-19 like symptoms” and similar phrases that indicate a high likelihood of COVID-19 are considered sufficient for FEMA.

If your loved one’s death certificate does not include one of these phrases, it is possible to amend their certificate. You should first contact the person who certified your loved one’s death, which may be their doctor, a medical examiner, or coroner. You should be able to find their name and address on your loved one’s death certificate. You will likely need to provide evidence to them that your loved one’s death was related to COVID-19.

What types of expenses are covered by the FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Program?

The COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Program is intended to assist with expenses that are related to funeral services, interment, and cremation.

Examples of what types of expenses are covered by the FEMA program include:

Transportation for 1-2 people to identify your loved one
Transfer of the remains of your loved one
Casket or urn
Burial plot or cremation niche
Marker or headstone
Clergy or officiant services
Arrangement of the funeral ceremony
Use of funeral home equipment or staff
Cremation or interment costs
Costs associated with producing and certifying multiple death certificates
Additional expenses which were mandated by any local or state government laws

How much can I get reimbursed?

The FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Program will provide:

Up to $9,000 for funeral costs for a single person that passed away
Up to $35,500 for funeral costs for multiple COVID-19 deaths in a single state, territory or the District of Columbia. Note: If you are eligible for more than $35,500, FEMA will coordinate with your state to determine the total eligible amount.

How do I apply for reimbursement?

To apply for assistance from FEMA, applicants must call the below COVID-19 Funeral Assistance line. There are no online applications.

COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number
844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585

Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time

FEMA estimates it will take 20 minutes to apply once you’ve connected with an operator. To ensure a speedy application process, FEMA recommends having all documentation ready before calling. Multilingual services are available.

As you can imagine, there will likely be a high call volume in the early days of the program, which may cause technical problems or a busy signal. At this time, there is NO deadline to apply, so try calling back another time.

What documents do I need?

FEMA encourages applicants to gather related documentation, which will make the application process smoother. Types of documents they recommend you keep and gather include:

An official death certificate that attributes your loved one’s 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). Death certificates that indicate their death "may have been caused by" or "was likely a result of" COVID 19 or “COVID-19 like symptoms” and similar phrases that indicate a high likelihood of COVID-19 are considered sufficient attribution for FEMA
Funeral expenses documents (e.g., receipts, funeral home contract) that include your name (i.e., the applicant), the name of your loved one who passed away, the amount of the funeral expenses, and the date(s) the funeral expenses happened
Proof of financial assistance you may have received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. E.g., burial or funeral insurance policies, donations, and/or CARES Act grants

For a complete list of necessary documentation and additional details, visit FEMA.gov.

How will I receive the funds?

If your application is accepted, you will receive funds via direct deposit to your bank, or via a check by mail, whichever option you choose during your application.

Can my funeral director apply on my behalf?

Unfortunately, your funeral director CANNOT apply on your behalf, however they can help you in gathering documentation of the funeral expenses and your loved one’s death certificate.

What’s the deadline to apply for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance?

At this time, there is no deadline, however, if that changes in the future the deadline will be listed on FEMA.gov.

Someone called me from FEMA to help me register for Funeral Assistance, is this a scam?

Yes, there have been reports of scammers calling people and offering to help them register for FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance. They may say they are calling from FEMA, or that they are a federal employee. FEMA has not and will not contact individuals BEFORE they register for assistance, so if someone has called you and you have not yet called the FEMA hotline & registered, this is a scam.

Do not disclose information to someone that has called you such as your loved one’s name, birth date, or social security number. Read more here.

What if I’ve already received financial assistance?

If you’ve received financial assistance from certain sources to defray the funeral expenses for your loved one, the amount of reimbursement you receive from FEMA will be reduced by this amount. This includes benefits received from burial or funeral insurance or financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government programs or agencies.

FEMA does not consider life insurance proceeds, death gratuities, or other forms of assistance not specifically intended to defray funeral costs as a duplication of benefit.

What if I received donations from a GoFundMe or other crowdsourcing campaign?

If donations received from crowdfunding sources, such as GoFundMe, Indiegogo, or similar sites, were used specifically for funeral expenses, the amount used to defray the cost of a funeral for your loved one may reduce the reimbursement you receive from FEMA.

When you submit your application for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance, you will be required to submit documentation relating to received donations, including those from crowdfunding sources. FEMA will use these documents to determine how much of your loved one’s funeral expenses may be reimbursed.

For additional information, visit FEMA.gov

This article was researched and shared with love by Ali & Maggie from the LifeWeb 360 team.

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How to Apply for FEMA's COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Reimbursement