In the aftermath of a loved one’s death from COVID-19, family members and caregivers may be so overwhelmed by their grief and day-to-day responsibilities that they miss the news of this important and compassionate benefit:

The federal government is reimbursing up to $9,000 in funeral expenses for a person who has died of COVID-19 since Jan. 20, 2020. For families who have experienced more than one loss and funeral, there is a maximum reimbursement of $35,000.¹

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the president’s American Rescue Plan is providing the funding for this COVID-19 Funeral Assistance, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coordinating the program. 

According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of an adult funeral, with viewing and burial, was $7,848 in 2021; it was $6,970 for a funeral with viewing and cremation. These averages exclude expenses such as cemetery and monument or marker costs.²

FEMA began the fund distribution program on April 12, 2021 and as of June 1, 2023, there were more than 472,294 applications totaling more than $3.04 billion for 482,794 decedents. The average reimbursement is $6,400.¹ 

How one older adult found solace in FEMA's financial assistance after he lost his wife

After learning from the NCOA about FEMA's COVID-19 funeral assistance, James F., 74, of Miami, Florida, applied for reimbursement.

He had lost his wife, Gloria, 75, to COVID-19 in August 2020. A year later, when COVID-19 cases in his community had declined, he gathered family and friends to celebrate her life at a memorial service. FEMA covered cremation costs, which totaled nearly $1,000.

Nothing takes away the pain of losing her," James said. "But it was very helpful to have FEMA's financial assistance."

If you have lost a loved one to COVID-19 and want to find out more about the funeral reimbursement, here are some frequently asked questions from FEMA materials to help you get started:

How does FEMA determine eligibility for the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program?

According to FEMA, you must meet the following conditions:

• The death must have occurred in the United States.
• 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.
• The deceased person’s death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to or caused by COVID-19. If a death occurred between January 20 and May 16, 2020, it must be accompanied by a signed statement from the original certifier of the death certificate, or the local medical examiner or coroner from the jurisdiction in which the death occurred, listing COVID-19 as a cause or contributing cause of death. This signed statement must provide an additional explanation or causal pathway, linking the cause of death listed on the death certificate to COVID-19.

What funeral expenses will FEMA cover?

Eligible expenses may include but are not limited to:

• funeral services
• cremation
• interment
• costs associated with producing death certificates
• costs due to local or state government laws or ordinances
• transportation for up to two people to identify the person who died
• transfer of remains
• casket or urn
• burial plot
• marker or headstone
• clergy
• funeral ceremony
• funeral home equipment or staff

In addition, applications can include the funeral expenses for more than one decedent in a state.

Is there a date by which I must apply for FEMA assistance?

With the public health emergency ending on May 11, 2023, the government agency announced that it will "continue to provide funeral assistance until Sept. 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic." 

Once you have applied, you have 365 days to complete your application and submit all required materials.

How do I apply for the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program?

All applications are initiated by phone. To start the process, call 844-684-6333. FEMA representatives are available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (EDT) Monday through Friday. FEMA says the call typically takes 20 minutes. You’ll find a full list of the information you will need to provide on the call in the How Does it Work? section of FEMA’s COVID-19 Funeral Assistance FAQ.

Are pre-paid funeral expenses eligible for FEMA assistance?

According to FEMA's requirements, the agency "cannot provide financial assistance that duplicates any source of funding designated specifically to pay for a funeral prior to the death …". You can learn more about FEMA's funeral assistance by consulting the agency's FAQ, or by calling 844-684-6333.

What does the future of COVID look like?

COVID-19 is no longer an official public health emergency, but we should keep thinking of it as a public health priority. 

“The pandemic is not over,” said Georges Benjamin, MD, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “But we are transitioning from a phase where we had to stay in our homes, and any interaction with any individual was a high risk of getting COVID, to a phase in which the risk of interacting with other people, with or without a mask, and getting COVID is much lower. And with that in mind, we need to think about how we adjust.”

Benjamin says the basics of COVID haven't changed, which means the risk of getting COVID and getting seriously ill from it increases with age. 

To learn more about how you reduce your COVID risk, read NCOA's guide on what you can do.

“Right now, where we are, I think we should anticipate that there will be, surges periodically, a couple times a year, and that wearing a mask and getting vaccinated are now part of our norm,” Benjamin said.

What NCOA is doing to empowercommunity vaccination efforts

As the recipient of a $50 million grant from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, NCOA is spearheading a nationwide campaign to help make COVID and flu vaccines more accessible to older adults and people with disabilities.

NCOA is providing funding and technical assistance to hundreds of diverse community-based organizations so they can conduct outreach, host vaccine clinics, and offer transportation and other services older adults may need to get vaccinated. 

“There’s no time to waste in ensuring everyone gets these lifesaving vaccines,” said Ramsey Alwin, NCOA president and CEO.

Sources

1. FEMA, COVID-19 Funeral Assistance. Found on the internet at: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/historic/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance

2. 2021 NFDA General Price List Study Shows Funeral Costs Not Rising as Fast as Rate of Inflation. Found on the internet at: https://nfda.org/news/media-center/nfda-news-releases/id/6182/2021-nfda-general-price-list-study-shows-funeral-costs-not-rising-as-fast-as-rate-of-inflation