Underutilized Federal Program Provides Financial Aid Covering Funeral Costs for COVID-19-Related Deaths

February 04, 2022

by Geoffrey Kunkler, Esq., Carlile Patchen and Murphy

Have you lost a loved one to COVID-19? Has the costly burden of arranging and paying for their funeral fallen on your shoulders? Help may be out there.

One of the seemingly lesser-known benefits of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Action of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is a program, run through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which provides financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses. So, how does it work?

Eligibility

There are two categories of eligible deaths as they relate to this program. In both, you must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses. First, for deaths occurring from Jan. 20, 2020, to May 16, 2020, either (1) the death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19 or (2) the death certificate must be accompanied by a signed statement provided by the original certifier, the local medical examiner, or the coroner that indicates COVID-19 as the cause of or contributing factor in the death. Second, for deaths occurring after May 16, 2020, the death certificate must indicate that the death was attributed to COVID-19.

Benefits

Under the Acts, an individual is eligible for maximum relief of $9,000 per deceased individual and a maximum of $35,500 per application if the applicant incurred funeral expenses for multiple decedents. The following are some, but not all, of the expenses covered:

• Funeral services
• Cremation
• Internment
• Casket or urn
• Burial plot
• Marker or headstone
• Clergy
• Costs of producing and certifying multiple death certificates

For a complete list, see the related FEMA FAQ’s here.

How to Apply

The only way to apply for the program is to call FEMA, which indicates it should take only 20 minutes to apply. The COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Helpline can be reached at (844) 684-6333. When you call, you will be assigned a FEMA application number, and you can then submit your documentation online, by fax or by mail.

For more information, you can check out the FEMA flyer on the program here or you can visit the program website.