COVID-19 Funeral Reimbursement

by Dan A. Baron, Baron Law LLC

Did you know that you can be reimbursed for the funeral expenses of a lost loved one that passed from COVID-19? The pandemic has affected the lives of many Americans and their families. Reimbursement of funeral costs is a small way to ease the grief of losing a loved one from these challenging times. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has started a program to reimburse those families that have lost someone due to the coronavirus. The application process started April 12, 2021 and currently does not have an end date. To qualify, you must meet the following requirements:

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

Additionally, the following documentation should be gathered and kept for submission:

  • An official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, U.S. Territories, or District of Columbia
  • Funeral expenses documents (including receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) that includes the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of the funeral expenses and the dates the funeral expenses happened
  • Proof of funds received from other sources – specifically for use to- ward 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 approved, you will receive your funeral assistance through a check by mail or direct deposit, depend- ing on the option you choose when applying for assistance.

Unfortunately, there are some people who cannot apply for assistance if they fall under one of the following categories:

  • A minor child cannot apply on behalf of an adult who is not a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified agent
  • There are several categories of aliens that are lawfully present in the United States, but do not qualify for FEMA’s Individual and Households Program assistance, including this funeral assistance program. These include, but are not limited to:
    • Temporary tourist visa holders
    • Foreign students
    • Temporary work visa holders
    • Habitual residents, such as citizens of the Federal States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands

Please keep in mind there is no online application, this is through the FEMA funeral assistance hotline 844-684-6333. Once your application has been submitted via phone, you will be provided an application number and will need to submit your supporting documents (death certificate, funeral expense receipts, etc.). The supporting documents can be submitted by uploading documents to your DisasterAssistance.gov account or by faxing or mailing the documents.

If you were responsible for the funeral expenses of more than one person lost to coronavirus, you may claim each funeral on your application. The limits for assistance are up to $9,000 per funeral and up to $35,500 per application per state. This is a great program for families looking for assistance in the unexpected death of a loved one caused by COVID-19. For more information, please visit the link be- low. To schedule an appointment with one of our estate planning attorneys, contact Baron Law at 216- 573-3723, or visit www.fema.gov/ disasters/coronavirus/economic/ funeral-assistance#eligible for more information regarding COVID-19 relief.

Dan A. Baron, Baron Law LLC

Sponsored By

Baron Law LLC
Crowne Centre, Suite #600
5005 Rockside Road
Independence, Ohio 44131
216-573-3723
www.baronlawcleveland.com

Opinions and claims expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ScripType Publishing.