(ABC4) – Since April, FEMA has been reimbursing families who lost a loved one to COVID-19.
The federal agency was allocated $2 billion through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act of 2021 to reimburse individuals or households for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred between January 20, 2020, and December 2020. President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan continues the assistance into 2021.
As of May 7, FEMA says it has received more than 171,000 applications and distributed more than $11.1 million.
In Utah alone, FEMA reports 618 applications have been found to be valid. Of those, 22 applicants have been awarded a total of $148,471.
West Virginia is the only state that has not received any of this funeral assistance, despite 843 valid applications submitted. Other U.S. territories – American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands – have also not received any funding despite valid applications.
These are the top five states that received the most funeral assistance from FEMA:
- Texas: $2,054,084 for 298 applicants
- New York: $1,005,001 for 136 applicants
- Ohio: $979,755 for 148 applicants
- California: $736,874 for 109 applicants
- Florida: $591,201 for 89 applicants
A full table of individual state data can be seen below.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible for funeral assistance, FEMA says you must meet these conditions:
- Death must have occurred in the U.S., including U.S. territories and the District of Columbia
- Death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19
- 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.
How to apply for funeral assistance
FEMA is beginning to accept applications for COVID-19 funeral assistance through a dedicated call center.
The call center can be reached at 844-684-6333. For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind, or have speech disabilities, call 800-462-7585. The line is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT.
FEMA is encouraging you to keep and gather the following documentation:
- An official death certificate that attributes the death, directly or indirectly, to COVID-19 and shows the death occurred in the U.S., its territories, or the District of Columbia.
- Funeral expenses documents, like receipts and funeral home contracts, that include the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses happened.
- Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. FEMA says they are unable to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources.
How funeral assistance funds are received
If you are eligible to receive funeral assistance funds, you will receive a check by mail, or funds by direct deposit, depending on which option you choose when you apply for assistance.
Beware of scams
FEMA is reporting that scams related to funeral assistance funds are already happening. FEMA say it will not contact anyone until they have called FEMA or have applied for assistance.
Do not disclose information such as the name, birth date, or Social Security number of any deceased family member to any unsolicited telephone calls or e-mails from anyone claiming to be a federal employee or from FEMA.
If you doubt a FEMA representative is legitimate, you are encouraged to hang up and report it to the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or the National Center for Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721. Complaints also may be made by contacting local law enforcement agencies.
For more information on the Funeral Assistance Program, visit FEMA’s website.
State and territory funeral assistance breakdown
| Location | Valid Applications | Funeral Assistance Disbursed | Number of Applicants Awarded |
| ALABAMA | 3971 | $70,955 | 11 |
| ALASKA | 48 | $18,000 | 2 |
| AMERICAN SAMOA | 2 | $0 | 0 |
| ARIZONA | 2,904 | $39,646 | 9 |
| ARKANSAS | 1,740 | $52,151 | 8 |
| CALIFORNIA | 18,648 | $736,874 | 109 |
| COLORADO | 935 | $27,525 | 14 |
| COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANAS | 2 | $0 | 0 |
| CONNECTICUT | 2,202 | $257,031 | 33 |
| DELAWARE | 468 | $53,944 | 8 |
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | 490 | $64,998 | 10 |
| FLORIDA | 9,423 | $591,201 | 89 |
| GEORGIA | 6,191 | $133,964 | 17 |
| GUAM | 7 | $0 | 0 |
| HAWAII | 31 | $10,103 | 2 |
| IDAHO | 307 | $69,918 | 12 |
| ILLINOIS | 7,072 | $405,209 | 53 |
| INDIANA | 3,012 | $45,390 | 6 |
| IOWA | 1,647 | $5,494 | 1 |
| KANSAS | 1,397 | $4,996 | 1 |
| KENTUCKY | 2,353 | $79,534 | 11 |
| LOUISIANA | 3,483 | $41,033 | 6 |
| MAINE | 150 | $44,102 | 7 |
| MARYLAND | 3,126 | $102,060 | 15 |
| MASSACHUSETTS | 3,736 | $433,831 | 63 |
| MICHIGAN | 5,438 | $39,324 | 5 |
| MINNESOTA | 1,467 | $446,280 | 69 |
| MISSISSIPPI | 3,119 | $58,603 | 7 |
| MISSOURI | 3,010 | $23,792 | 4 |
| MONTANA | 275 | $3,200 | 1 |
| NEBRASKA | 723 | $60,517 | 6 |
| NEVADA | 1,505 | $66,717 | 11 |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE | 291 | $43,618 | 10 |
| NEW JERSEY | 7,423 | $425,604 | 62 |
| NEW MEXICO | 896 | $34,122 | 7 |
| NEW YORK | 16,820 | $1,005,001 | 136 |
| NORTH CAROLINA | 4,677 | $448,252 | 62 |
| NORTH DAKOTA | 510 | $88,345 | 11 |
| OHIO | 5,937 | $979,755 | 148 |
| OKLAHOMA | 2,419 | $360,140 | 50 |
| OREGON | 355 | $30,423 | 7 |
| PENNSYLVANIA | 8,171 | $473,718 | 68 |
| PUERTO RICO | 650 | $14,237 | 4 |
| RHODE ISLAND | 849 | $295,564 | 40 |
| SOUTH CAROLINA | 3,475 | $119,147 | 16 |
| SOUTH DAKOTA | 522 | $176,835 | 22 |
| TENNESSEE | 4,378 | $33,648 | 6 |
| TEXAS | 15,312 | $2,054,084 | 298 |
| UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS | 10 | $0 | 0 |
| UTAH | 618 | $148,471 | 22 |
| VERMONT | 49 | $9,000 | 1 |
| VIRGINIA | 3,430 | $385,159 | 55 |
| WASHINGTON | 868 | $38,205 | 7 |
| WEST VIRGINIA | 843 | $0 | 0 |
| WISCONSIN | 2,880 | $73,122 | 10 |
| WYOMING | 114 | $58,234 | 9 |
