Lost a Loved One Dring COVID-19? You May be Entitled to Some Money

In an effort to offset the financial devastation COVID 19 has caused, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that it will allocate $2 billion — $7,000 per family — for COVID-19-related funeral costs starting in April. 

The reimbursements are part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, both signed into law earlier this month.

Since March 2020, Michigan has lost 15,835 people to the pandemic, and there have been 618,421 cases. Detroit-based Thompson Funeral Home administrator Edward Thompson said a funeral service, excluding the cemetery cost, ranges from $3,200 to $5,200, depending on factors like merchandise, personalization, facility type, and more.

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A cremation, which is more cost-effective since it doesn’t include a burial plot, is $3,200 to $4,200, Thompson said.

However, FEMA is making caskets, urns, burial plots, headstones, and other required costs eligible for assistance, but costs relating to obituaries, flowers, printed materials, catering, transporting guests to funeral services and gratuities are ineligible for assistance.

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The eligibility checklist for FEMA funeral cost assistance is as follows:

• Funeral expenses were incurred after Jan. 20, 2020. 
• The death must have occurred in the U.S. 
• The death certificate must say that the cause of death was COVID-19. 
• The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, noncitizen national or legal immigrant of the U.S., but the deceased does not need a specific legal status. 

To apply for funeral cost assistance, following documentation is required:  

• An official death certificate that shows the death was directly or indirectly related to COVID-19 and occurred in the United States. 
• Funeral expenses documents with names of the applicant and deceased, amount of funeral expenses and dates of expenses. 
• Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for funeral expenses. FEMA said it  will not “duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources.”

FEMA will accept applications in April. A toll-free number for applicants, is provided here. FEMA funeral assistance will be provided via check or direct deposit.