COVID-19 Funeral Assistance


FEMA has initiated 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 has begun accepting applications for Funeral Assistance through their dedicated call center. You will be able to call this dedicated toll-free phone number to get an application completed with help from FEMA's representatives. The application must be begun through contacting the call center. The COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023, but FEMA will continue to provide funeral assistance until Sept. 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic.


COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number

Applications have begun.


844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585


Hours of Operation:

Monday - Friday

8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time



Documentation you will require for your application are as follows:


  • 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 or 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. FEMA is not able to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources other than the applicant.



More information may be found at: https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance



We will update our page as soon as we know more. 


What funeral expenses are covered?


COVID-19 Funeral Assistance will assist with expenses for funeral services and interment or cremation. Any receipts received for expenses that are not related to funeral services will not be determined eligible expenses. Expenses for funeral services and interment or cremation typically include, but are not limited to:


  • Transportation for up to two individuals to identify the deceased individual
  • Transfer of remains
  • 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 mandated by any applicable local or state government laws or ordinances


Are pre-planned and pre-paid funerals eligible for reimbursement if the individual died due to COVID-19?


Any source of payment designated specifically to pay for a funeral in anticipation of a future death cannot be reimbursed under this assistance. This includes burial or funeral insurance, a pre-paid funeral contract, a pre-paid trust for funeral expenses, or an irrevocable trust for Medicare.


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