FEMA Funeral Assistance Program

April 2, 2021

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COVID-19 Funeral Assistance

Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.

FEMA will begin accepting applications for Funeral Assistance on Monday, April 12, 2021 through the dedicated call center number below.

To be eligible for funeral assistance, you must meet these conditions:

  • The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
  • The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.
  • The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.
  • There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.

How to Apply

On April 12, FEMA will begin accepting applications.

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

If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, we encourage you to keep and gather documentation. Types of information should include:

  • 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.

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

For the latest information please visit

https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance

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Please know there is a nationwide scam being perpetrated on grieving families.  The scam involves someone calling and acting like they are from a funeral home where the family is being served.  The scammers can mask their real phone number on CallerID to show they are calling from the funeral home that served the family.  This practice is called spoofing.  They call families and demand payment for additional charges related to the funeral, and they ask for a credit card number.  In general, please never give out a credit card number to someone calling you.   If you receive a call like this, hang up, and call the funeral home directly and speak to your funeral director.  Never use the phone number that is given to you from the person that called you. Please know that Wages & Sons will never call you for billing information over the phone.   We will never ask for credit card information over the phone.  If someone calls you asking for this information it is a scam, and it is not Wages & Sons.  Please let us know if you receive any calls pretending to be from Wages & Sons and asking for payment.
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