COVID-19's consequences are ever-present in our lives as we move into the first full year of the pandemic. However, if you have suffered the loss of a loved one or friend because of the virus, the pandemic has made a difficult time worse. Many of us have faced additional financial hardship due to losing a job, teaching children at home, or assuming unpaid caretaking roles for family members. 

A new FEMA program seeks to help cover some of the financial impacts from a family member dying from Covid-19.  If you have lost a loved one to COVID 19, FEMA will reimburse some funeral expenses. For more information, or to start an application, click here to go to FEMA's COVID 19 Funeral Assistance website..

There is no real compensation for the grief and loss of a loved one, but the new FEMA program will hopefully mitigate the financial strain coming with an unexpected death.

As a reminder, funeral expenses must be paid before an estate can close under South Carolina law. These costs have the highest priority for payment from the estate. If you have questions about the probate process or need advice regarding transferring property to heirs, we are happy to help!