CHICAGO — Families who lost a loved one to coronavirus can apply to get reimbursed for that person’s funeral costs.
The reimbursements are for up to $9,000 and are available through a federal program. They’re for people who died from coronavirus after Jan. 20, 2020.
To apply, people can call 844-684-6333 (TTY: 800-462-7585) 8 a.m.-8 p.m Monday-Friday. The process takes about 20 minutes, and multilingual services are available, according to a Cook County news release.
Residents who apply need 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, which includes U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
- Funeral expense documents such as receipts or a contract with a funeral home that include 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.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or qualified immigrants. There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen.
More information about FEMA’s funeral expense funding program can be found on its website.
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