The table below lists by State what type and level of financial assistance may be offered by a State and County to assist families with funeral expenses.
| State | State-level Assistance | County Department | County-level Assistance | Limit of family contribution |
| Alabama | No | County Dept. of Human Services | Minimal – $400 According to Alabama law, each county needs to pay the necessary burial expenses or funeral costs of someone who has died in the county if they don’t have financial means. | No clear data |
| Alaska | Only for tribal members | Dept. of Health & Social Services – Division of Public Assistance (GRA Fund) | GRA is a last resort fund for burial expenses if household’s emergency need cannot be met by any other programs. | Yes |
| Arizona | No | County Public Fiduciary | Limited funds available from county | Yes |
| Arkansas | No | County Judge | Each county judge has a ‘Pauper’s Fund’ – varies by county | Yes |
| California | No | Dept. of Public Health | County Coroner has control over any assistance. | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes – $1,500 for Medicaid recipients & $1,000 for SSI recipients | Dept. of Human Services (CDHS) | Amount spent (contribution + family funds) may not exceed $2,500 | |
| Connecticut | Up to $1,800 Recipients of SAGA & TFA | Dept. of Social Services (CDSS) | $1,000 | |
| Delaware | $400 – $1,500 – burial in one of the states 3 Pauper Cemeteries | Division of Social Services | No clear data | |
| DC | $450 for cremation & $800 for burial. Estate of deceased (or family member arranging funeral) must not exceed $800 | Dept. of Human Services | ESA Burial Assistance Program | Family contribution cannot exceed $2,000 for total cost. |
| Florida | For those below FL poverty guideline & unclaimed | Florida Health & Human Services | Each county contracts with a local funeral home | Yes |
| Georgia | No | Dept. of Human Services, Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) by county | Family cannot have assets or monies over $400 $250 – $500 | No clear data |
| Hawaii | $400 towards funeral home or crematory expenses. $400 towards cemetery expenses | Dept. of Human Services (Funeral Payment Program) | No clear data | |
| Idaho | No | County Indigent Services | Varies by county – $695 – $1,200 | No clear data |
| Illinois | $1,103 for funeral costs & $552 for burial expenses. Budget for the State-assistance program reportedly cut from Jan 2015 & will be discontinued from 2016. | Dept. of Human Services – Funeral & Burial Program | Family contribution + state assistance amount may not exceed $2,000 for funeral costs and $2,000 for cemetery expenses. | |
| Indiana | $600 toward funeral expenses & $400 toward cemetery expenses for Recipients of TANF | Division of Family Resources – ICES Program (Integrated Client Eligibility System) | Family can contribute up to $750 as long as total does not exceed $1,750 | |
| Iowa | No | General Assistance Office Funds – linked to Federal Poverty Guidelines | Varies by county. For example: Linn County up to $1,000 & Henry County $1,200 | No clear data |
| Kansas | No | Unclaimed bodies only | N/A | |
| Kentucky | No | Varies by county | Yes | |
| Louisiana | No | Coroner’s office of the Parish that the person died in. | Each parish has a procedure for disposing of indigent bodies. | No clear data |
| Maine | Funeral director received $785 for cremation or $1,125 for burial. | Maine General Assistance Program | If any liable relatives or assets a deduction will be made from the amount the funeral director receives. | |
| Maryland | Up to $650 paid to recipients of state benefits. | Dept. of Human Services | Total funeral cost must not exceed $2,500 | |
| Massachusetts | Up to $1,100 for funeral costs (Paid direct to the funeral home) Must be a recipient of state benefits. (MassHealth) | Commonwealth of Massachusetts | Total funeral cost must not exceed $3,500 | |
| Michigan | Offers a program called ‘Home & Burial Services’ Payment of up to $600 paid to funeral director | Dept. of Health & Human Services (SER) | Claim must be made within 10 business days after death | |
| Minnesota | No | Public Health Department and/or Human Services | Varies by county – some counties pay up to $2,100 [Direct to funeral home] | No clear data |
| Mississippi | No | Varies by county | No clear data | |
| Missouri | No | Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) has an Indigent Burial & Funeral Fund | CFO current reimbursement rate is $400 | No clear data |
| Montana | No | Varies by county | No clear data | |
| Nebraska | No | Dept. of General Assistance | Varies by county Lancaster County provides $800 Douglas County will provide assistance for cremation to an authorized mortuary in Douglas County. | Spouse of the deceased can earn no more than the federal poverty level, $903 a month for one person. And the deceased, if there is no spouse, can have no more than $800 in his or her estate. |
| Nevada | No | Dept. of Social Services Clark County Social Services (CCSS) (702) 455-4270 | Varies by county. In Clark County consult the Public Administrator | No clear data |
| New Hampshire | No | Dept. of Health & Human Services | An amount of up to $1,000 Recipients of Welfare (TANF) | No clear data |
| New Jersey | No | Dept. of Human Services | Up to $2,246 for funeral & $524 for cemetery costs | Family contribution must not exceed $1,570 |
| New Mexico | Social Services – Burial Assistance gives up to $200 | Dept. of Human Services | Less than $600 | |
| New York | No | Varies by county Dept. of Human Services | No clear data | |
| New York City | Check: https://volsprobono.org/a-guide-for-friends-family-of-recently-deceased-new-yorkers/ | Public Administrator by Borough | $900 | Family contribution must not exceed $1,700 |
| North Carolina | Dept. of Health and Human Services | Varies – up to $1,500 reimbursed to funeral home | No clear data | |
| North Dakota | No | Varies by county – can be from $300 to $3,000 | No clear data | |
| Ohio | No | Varies by county & city | No clear data | |
| Oklahoma | No | Varies by county – limited help | No clear data | |
| Oregon | $650 (if available in state budget) | No clear data | ||
| Pennsylvania | Burial and Cremation Services Payment $750 for recipients of SSI. If deceased has more than $750 but less than $1,500 | Dept. of Public Welfare | Yes. Deceased cannot have assets over $1,500 | |
| Rhode Island | Up to $850 for cremation and $900 for burial. Recipients of SSI & GPA | Dept. of Human Services | To be eligible cannot have resources of $400 or more | |
| South Carolina | No | County Coroner | Varies by county but very limited assistance | No clear data |
| South Dakota | No – state requires that counties cover the cost if a resident dies without sufficient funds to cover burial costs. | Dept. of Human Services | Varies by county. For example Minnehaha offers up to $2,250 for a funeral with a service or $1,000 for a simple cremation. | Yes |
| Tennessee | No | Social Services | Varies by county | No clear data |
| Texas | No | Health Services Department | Varies by county – can range from $300 to $1,500 | No clear data |
| Utah | No | Dept. of Human Services | Regions can provide $500 as a last option. | No clear data |
| Vermont | Up to $1,100 | Agency of Human Services | None | |
| Virginia | For recipients of TANF & SNAP | Dept. of Health & Human Services | Varies by county. For example Norfolk county offers $500 | No clear data |
| Washington | No | Dept. of Social & Health Services (DSHS) funeral and interment program | Varies by county King County offer up to $500 for veterans. | No clear data |
| West Virginia | $1,250 [to qualify the applicant must have less than $2,450 in resources] | Dept. of Health & Human Services | Family contributions of up to $1,200 are allowed |
