How does COVID-19 Funeral Assistance work?

Financial assistance may cover funeral services, burials, and cremation costs paid after January 20, 2020. Funeral Assistance may only cover expenses that have been paid. Learn more about expenses that are covered by visiting the Funeral Assistance FAQ . Assistance is available for the costs of multiple funerals. Assistance may provide up to $9,000 per funeral and up to $35,500 per application. The amount you receive will take into account any assistance you received from other government sources or non-profit organizations. (ex: Burial Assistance from NYC HRA ) Your income does not affect eligibility. Benefits will be paid by check or direct deposit.

What do I need in order to apply to COVID-19 Funeral Assistance?

Gather this information before applying by phone Social Security Numbers (SSN) for yourself and the person who passed away Date of births for yourself and the person who passed away Your mailing address Your telephone number Location or address where the death happened Info about any burial or funeral insurance policies Info about any financial assistance you received, like donations or aid from other government sources or non-profit organizations Routing and account numbers to your checking or savings account (if you want a direct deposit) Gather these documents to submit with your application number after the phone call: proof of death, proof of funeral expenses, and proof of any other assistance

How do I Apply to COVID-19 Funeral Assistance?

Prepare your documents and call the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number 844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585 Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time Once you have applied and are given an application number, submit your documents using one of these ways: Online: Upload to your DisasterAssistance.gov account Fax documents: 855-261-3452 Mail documents: P.O. BOX 10001, Hyattsville, MD 20782

COVID-19 Funeral Assistance

1. How it Works

Get help paying for funerals of people who died due to COVID-19.

Financial assistance may cover funeral services, burials, and cremation costs paid after January 20, 2020.
- Funeral Assistance may only cover expenses that have been paid.
- Learn more about expenses that are covered by visiting the Funeral Assistance FAQ.
Assistance is available for the costs of multiple funerals.
- Assistance may provide up to $9,000 per funeral and up to $35,500 per application.
- The amount you receive will take into account any assistance you received from other government sources or non-profit organizations. (ex: Burial Assistance from NYC HRA)
Your income does not affect eligibility.
Benefits will be paid by check or direct deposit.

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2. Determine Your Eligibility

2. Determine your eligibility

You may be eligible if you can answer yes to all of these questions:

Are you a U.S. citizen, a non-citizen U.S. national, or have satisfactory immigration status?
- The person who passed away does not have to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or immigrant with satisfactory immigration status.
Did you pay for funeral expenses after January 20, 2020?
- If more than one person helped pay, up to two people can register under the same application. Otherwise, the first person to submit all required documentation will be provided the assistance.
Did the death happen in the United States, territories, or the District of Columbia?
Do you have a death certificate indicating that the death “may have been caused by” or “was likely a result of” COVID-19 or COVID-19-like symptoms or something similar?
- Note: If it is not shown, you may amend the death certificate to show that the person passed away due to COVID-19. Contact the person who certified the death and provide evidence that shows the death was attributable to COVID-19.

You may not be eligible if you can answer yes to any of these questions:

Do any of the following categories apply to you?
- Temporary tourist visa holder
- Foreign student
- Temporary work visa holder
- Habitual resident, such as citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
- There may be additional categories of residents who may have satisfactory immigration status but are not eligible.

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3. What You Need to Include

3. What you need to include

Gather this information before applying by phone
- Social Security Numbers (SSN) for yourself and the person who passed away
- Date of births for yourself and the person who passed away
- Your mailing address
- Your telephone number
- Location or address where the death happened
- Info about any burial or funeral insurance policies
- Info about any financial assistance you received, like donations or aid from other government sources or non-profit organizations
- Routing and account numbers to your checking or savings account (if you want a direct deposit)
Gather these documents to submit with your application number after the phone call: proof of death, proof of funeral expenses, and proof of any other assistance

An official death certificate indicating that the death “may have been caused by” or “was likely a result of” COVID-19 or COVID-19-like symptoms or something similar.

It must show that the death occurred in the United States, U.S. territories, or the District of Columbia.
Note: If the death certificate does not show COVID-19 as the cause of death, you can amend the death certificate. Contact the person who certified the death and show evidence showing the death was attributable to COVID-19.

Next section:

4. How to Apply

4. How to apply

Here are your options.

Prepare your documents and call the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number
- 844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585
  Hours of Operation:
  Monday – Friday
  9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time
Once you have applied and are given an application number, submit your documents using one of these ways:
- Online: Upload to your DisasterAssistance.gov account
- Fax documents: 855-261-3452
- Mail documents: P.O. BOX 10001, Hyattsville, MD 20782

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New Money for funerals due to COVID-19