FEMA funeral assistance for COVID-19 deaths in 2026

Program overview

FEMA's COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program reimburses up to $9,000 per eligible deceased individual for funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020 if the death is attributed to COVID-19 on the death certificate. The program was authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and remains open in 2026 with no announced sunset date.

As of the most recent FEMA disclosure, the program has paid out over $3 billion in funeral assistance to more than 500,000 families.

Eligibility requirements

• The death must have occurred in the United States or a U.S. territory after January 20, 2020.
• The death certificate must attribute the death to COVID-19, COVID-19-like symptoms, or a similar phrase.
• The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses for the deceased.
• The deceased does not need to have been a U.S. citizen.

What expenses qualify

FEMA's covered-expense list is broad, intentionally similar to the categories on a typical Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected:

• Transportation of the deceased.
• Casket or urn.
• Cremation or burial.
• Cemetery plot or interment fees.
• Cremation costs.
• Outer burial container or grave liner.
• Marker or headstone (one).
• Funeral home services.
• Costs associated with producing certified death certificates.
• Religious or clergy services.

How to apply

1. Call the FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Helpline at 844-684-6333 (TTY 800-462-7585), Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Eastern.
2. Provide the death certificate, funeral home invoices and receipts, and proof of identity for the applicant.
3. Receive a FEMA application number; submit supporting documents through DisasterAssistance.gov or by mail/fax.
4. Wait 30-90 days for processing.
5. Reimbursement is paid by direct deposit or check to the applicant.

Documentation requirements

• Official death certificate showing COVID-19 as a cause or contributing factor.
• Funeral home or third-party invoices and receipts (totaling up to the $9,000 cap).
• Proof that the applicant paid the funeral expenses (canceled checks, bank statements, credit card receipts).
• Proof of identity (driver's license, passport, Social Security card).

Pricing source disclosure

Every dollar amount on Cheap Funeral is sourced from each funeral home's published General Price List (GPL) under the FTC Funeral Rule (16 CFR Part 453). The Rule requires every U.S. funeral home to provide an itemized GPL on request — by phone, in person, or in many cases online. Where a home has not published a GPL we mark the listing accordingly rather than estimate.

National benchmarks throughout this article are drawn from the National Funeral Directors Association 2023 Member General Price List Study (NFDA, July 2023), which reports the median U.S. cost of a funeral with viewing and burial at $8,300 and the median direct cremation at $2,495.