FEMA will pay up to $7K for COVID-19 funeral expenses. Here’s what you need to know.

Families who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 will soon be able to apply for funds to help cover funeral expenses.

As part of COVID-19 relief Congress recently passed, $2 billion in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds will be available to reimburse eligible families up to $7,000 each in funeral expenses.

The program is retroactive and applies to funerals that took place after Jan. 20, 2020, FEMA’s website indicates. FEMA is working on guidelines for the program and expects to have a toll-free number people can call for assistance beginning in April.

Jeff O’Keefe Jr., president of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes on the Mississippi Coast, said he has seen families caught off guard by unexpected COVID-19 deaths. They are not always prepared for funeral expenses.

“I think the FEMA program, in offering assistance, is huge,” he said. “That’s why I’m excited about helping get the word out.” He said Bradford-O’Keefe will include a link to FEMA assistance information on its website.

Who is eligible for FEMA funeral assistance?

• 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.”

What is needed to qualify for COVID-related funeral expenses?

• 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 include the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates of the funeral expenses.
• Proof of funds received from other sources that covered funeral costs. FEMA will not duplicate benefits already received from burial or funeral insurance, nonprofit or government agencies or other sources.