26/03/2021
We are waiting for additional information to be made available. However, once it is finalized, the staff at Hagan-Chamberlain wil begin to reach out to our families to assist them with gathering the necessary documents and help them navigate the application process.
From the NJSFDA.ORG -
FEMA to Implement COVID-19 Funeral Assistance in April
Published March 26, 2021
COVID-19
Funeral directors will soon be able to direct their families to a Federal Emergency Management Agency program that will reimburse up to $9,000 for funeral-related expenses for those who died of COVID-19 or coronavirus-related causes after January 20, 2020.
FEMA, under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, will begin registering applicants for the aid in early April, according to Nancy Casper, a FEMA official. Casper gave some details concerning the program during a National Funeral Directors Association webinar on Thursday, March 25, 2021.
Casper said the application process is not yet finalized, but FEMA will require those seeking the funds to call an 800 number to register. There will be no online registration available, although once the registration is complete, applicants will be asked to upload documents to disasterassistance.gov.
On its website, FEMA states, “Additional guidance is being finalized and will be released to potential applicants and community partners as soon as possible. In the meantime, people who have COVID-19 funeral expenses are encouraged to keep and gather documentation.”
Funeral assistance is only available to those who incur certain funeral expenses, according to FEMA. Funeral directors are not able to apply for the funds. The New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association, however, suggests that funeral homes may want to guide families who have arranged a funeral for a decedent with COVID-19 through gathering the needed materials as a form of aftercare.
Funeral Assistance
Applicants may receive funeral assistance for funeral costs up to $9,000 for each COVID-19-related funeral for which they are responsible. FEMA will only be accepting one application per COVID-19-related death. If multiple people paid a funeral bill, they would need to submit one application outlining the expenses they incurred.
According to the policy, eligible funeral service expenses include, but are not limited to: transportation for up to two individuals to identify the decedent; transfer of remains; casket or urn; burial plot or cremation niche; marker or headstone; clergy or officiant services; arrangement of the funeral ceremony; use of funeral home equipment or staff; interment; costs associated with producing and certifying multiple death certificates; and additional expenses mandated by any applicable local or state government laws or ordinances.
Casper said that funeral expenses that are prefunded or paid for with funeral insurance are not eligible for reimbursement. Expenses that were paid for through life-insurance proceeds, however, are eligible.
Who is Eligible?
To be eligible for funeral assistance, families must meet these conditions:
The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia
The 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
Casper also said families that delayed holding services because of the pandemic and plan on holding a gathering in the future should wait until all expenses have been incurred before applying for the assistance.
How to Apply
Families who incurred COVID-19-related funeral expenses are encouraged to keep and/or gather the following documentation:
An official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia
Funeral expenses documents (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) that includes the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses were incurred
Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. FEMA is not able to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other source
How are Funds Received
FEMA says eligible individuals will receive a check by mail, or funds by direct deposit, depending on which option is selected when the application is submitted.
You can find more information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) page and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
