Rep. Mark Takano Announces Funeral Assistance for Californians Who Lost Loved Ones to COVID-19
Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) announced that FEMA began accepting applications for funeral assistance for Californians who lost loved ones to COVID-19. The funeral assistance program was included in the American Rescue Plan to provide retroactive reimbursements of up to $9,000 per burial, and up to $35,000 if applying for multiple burials.
“COVID-19 has claimed more than 560,000 precious lives in our country alone, and while no amount of money can heal the loss of a loved one, I hope that this program will be able to ease the financial strain placed on families who have already suffered so much,” said Rep. Mark Takano. “I encourage all Californians to take advantage of this opportunity and apply for funeral assistance as soon as possible.”
Who can apply for assistance?
You may qualify if you are a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who paid for funeral expenses after January 20, 2020, and the funeral expenses were for an individual whose death in the United States, territories or the District of Columbia, may have been caused by or was likely the result of COVID-19. There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien. If multiple individuals contribute toward funeral expenses, they should register under a single application as applicant and co-applicant.
How can Californians apply?
Call FEMA’s dedicated call center at 844-684-6333; TTY 800-462-7585, Monday-Friday, 9 AM ET - 9 PM ET. No online applications will be accepted. Multilingual services will be available. There is no deadline to apply.
What information do Californians need to apply?
The applicant responsible for COVID-19 funeral expenses will need to provide the following information below when they call FEMA to register for assistance. FEMA recommends gathering this information ahead of the application process.
- Social Security number for the applicant and the deceased individual
- Date of birth for the applicant and the deceased individual
- Current mailing address for the applicant
- Current telephone number for the applicant
- Location or address where the deceased individual passed away
- Information about burial or funeral insurance policies
- Information about other funeral assistance received, such as donations
- CARES Act grants and assistance from voluntary organizations
- Routing and account number of the applicant’s checking or savings account (for direct deposit, if requested)
Californians can learn more from FEMA HERE.
###
Press Contact
Lana Abbasi (951) 222-0203