FEMA Funeral Assistance | Federal Emergency Management Agency

(Federal Emergency Management Agency) The COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will continue to provide funeral assistance until September 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many families. At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. We are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus. 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 January 20, 2020. If you are covering the cost of a COVID-19 funeral, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may be able to help. You may qualify for up to $9,000 per funeral for expenses. FEMA may approve COVID-19 Funeral Assistance for expenses such as: -funeral services -cremation -interment -costs associated with producing death certificates -costs due to local or state government laws or ordinances -transportation for up to two people to identify the person who died -transfer of remains -casket or urn -burial plot -marker or headstone -clergy -funeral ceremony -funeral home equipment or staff You must provide FEMA a copy of an official death certificate that shows the death occurred in the United States, including U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, occurred after January 20, 2020, and was attributed to COVID-19. If the death certificate was issued between January 20,2020 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. You must provide FEMA with a signed funeral home contract, invoice, receipts, or other documentation that includes: -your name, showing you are responsible for some or all of the expense -the name of the person who died -itemized expenses -proof that the expenses were incurred on or after January 20, 2020 It will take about 20 minutes to apply, and you must provide: -Social Security Number for the person making application -Your current mailing address and telephone number -Social Security Number and date of birth for the person who passed away due to COVID-19 -The address where the individual died -If the person who died had burial or funeral insurance policies -If you received other funeral assistance (such as donations, CARES Act grants, state/territory assistance, or assistance from voluntary organizations) -If you want eligible funds delivered by direct deposit, the routing and account number of your checking or savings account. After you apply, FEMA will provide you an application number, and you may create an account on DisasterAssistance.gov. You must submit supporting documents (e.g., funeral home contracts, receipts, invoices, death certificate) by: -Uploading to your DisasterAssistance.gov account -Faxing to (855) 261-3452 -Mailing to: PO Box 10001, Hyattsville, MD 20782. Once FEMA receives all required documents, it takes approximately 45 days to make an eligibility decision. If FEMA approves your application for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance, funds will be deposited to your bank account or sent by mail in the form of a Department of the Treasury check, depending on which option you choose during your application. Funds usually arrive within a few days of approval, and you will receive a notification letter. Get answers to frequently asked questions about the application process on our Funeral Assistance FAQ page: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance/faq 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. On June 29, 2021, we amended the funeral assistance policy to assist with COVID-19 related deaths that occurred in the early months of the pandemic. This policy change will allow applicants to submit a signed statement from the certifying official on the death certificate or the local medical examiner, or coroner, that attributes the death to COVID-19 deaths that occurred between Jan. 20 and May 16, 2020.