Burial Assistance

The Burial Assistance Program provides payments to providers for burial and cremation services of low-income residents. Burial benefits are used to cover reasonable and necessary costs for burial services. The burial benefit is up to $1,500, depending on the decedent’s resources at time of death and total cost of all funeral, cremation and/or burial services. Total costs cannot exceed $2,500, otherwise a payment will not be paid.

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Burial Assistance is available to qualifying Denver residents to help cover the cost of a funeral, burial, or cremation. Before you begin this application, please be aware of the following eligibility criteria:

  • The total cost for burial/cremation services cannot exceed $2,500.
  • The burial benefit is up to $1,500.
  • If services have been paid in full already no benefit will be paid. This program does not allow for reimbursements.
  • The amount of burial assistance paid by Denver Human Services is based on resources and assets the decedent had at the time of death. If the decedent was married, spousal resources will be taken into consideration when determining the benefit. If the decedent was a child under the age of 18, both parents’ resources will be taken into consideration when determining the benefit.

We will need the following verifications for the decedent and spouse:

  • Bank statement/pay card statement: Printout from a bank showing the balance on the date of death of the deceased and/or spouse or provide a letter from a financial institution with the current balance on the date of death.
  • Registration card and mileage for vehicles that are owned or jointly owned.
  • Verification of earned or unearned income for the current month. This includes any social security, employment, pensions, or any other income.
  • Copies of all life insurance, burial insurance, or pre-need policies for the deceased, no matter the beneficiary and the surrender value for each policy.
  • Verification of any real estate owned, including land, house, mobile home (etc.) If deceased is a minor, must have verification for both parents.
  • Burial plot purchase information if purchased prior to death.
  • Cash on hand at the time of death.

Purpose of this Application

This application is for funeral, burial, and/or cremation death reimbursement benefits. The application is used to determine eligibility for the State and county contribution toward the expenses of a funeral, burial, or cremation of a deceased recipient of public/medical assistance. The death reimbursement benefit must be applied for within thirty days of the date of death. Requests made after thirty days shall be evaluated by the county department and an extension may be given if good cause exists, not to exceed one (1) year from the date of death.

General Information

The application should be completed and signed by a relative, friend, or other person who is interested in the disposition of the deceased. In the absence of such, the form may be completed by the county department of human/social services, which provided public/medical assistance to the recipient prior to death.

Although any interested party may complete the application on behalf of the decedent, they may not choose the manner of disposition. Colorado Revised Statutes, 26-2-129, gives certain relatives the right to choose the manner of disposition of a deceased recipient of public assistance if the decedent did NOT state their burial or cremation preference. Those relatives are defined as a spouse, adult children, parents, and siblings. An appropriate family member should complete the required information to indicate a choice of disposition for the decedent.

The county department of human/social services must review the application for public assistance to determine if the decedent indicated a preference before honoring any family statement. If no family member(s), or relative(s) are available or willing to make the choice, the county is authorized to choose the manner of disposition in accordance with current regulations.

Click Here to Apply for Burial Assistance Online

Click here to view form.

Prefer to apply with a paper application? Download the burial application by clicking here. Completed applications can be emailed to DenverCountyBurialAssistance@Denvergov.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I have to provide to Denver Human Services burial team to apply for burial benefits?

In order to process the burial quickly it will be helpful if you provide the following:

  • A complete and signed burial application
  • An invoice or estimation of services from the mortuary/funeral home/crematorium
  • Verification of resources (if applicable) for responsible persons as of the date of death

What if the burial amount exceeds the $2,500 limit, but someone chooses to contribute toward the funeral/cremation to decrease the cost to $2,500?

The total cost of the funeral/cremation cannot exceed $2,500. Any money voluntarily contributed by a spouse or parent(s) is used to reduce the state contribution.

Do I have to be related to the deceased recipient to apply for burial benefits for them?

No you do not. The Burial Assistance Program is based on the eligibility of the deceased individual, not the applicant. The resources of the parents (if the deceased is a minor child) or spouse are considered available for payment of funeral, cremation, and/or burial expenses and must be insufficient to pay for the funeral, cremation, or burial expenses.

Can we pay for the burial before payment is made to the provider by the County, and then have the funeral provider pay us back after they receive payment?

No. The Burial Program is not a reimbursement program. If the bill is paid in full, no payment will be issued by Denver Human Services for funeral/burial services.

I have more questions. What should I do?

Give us a call! Our office hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. We can be reached at 720-944-2175.

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