FEMA to reimburse for funeral expenses

    REGIONAL -- According to a message on its website about the assistance effort, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has $2 billion earmarked to reimburse the families of COVID-19 victims for actual funeral expenses.
    The funds are for individuals and households with coronavirus-related funeral expenses incurred between Jan. 20, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2020.
    The money is coming from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. FEMA officials plan to set up a funeral assistance program and work on outreach within affected communities and families.
    In April, FEMA will begin accepting applications for the program and encourages those who had COVID-19 funeral expenses to keep and gather documentation, including the following:
    • An official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows the death occurred in the U.S.
    • Funeral expense documents such as receipts or funeral home contracts including the applicant’s name, deceased person’s name, amount of funeral expenses and date the expenses were incurred.
    • Proof of funds received from other sources that were used toward funeral costs, including financial assistance received from burial or funeral insurance, voluntary agencies or governmental agencies.
    For more information about who’s eligible for reimbursement and how to apply, head to this website:  
https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance