Financial Assistance
Burial Assistance — Maryland Dept of Human Services
Help with funeral costs when someone on public assistance dies.
Verified Community Partner· confirmed 2026-07-21
Before you go
Apply BEFORE paying — the program cannot reimburse funeral expenses you have already paid. Burial plots, vaults, grave digging and burial clothing are excluded from the costs it counts.
What they do
A cash benefit paid directly to the funeral director for someone who was receiving public assistance, or who met the eligibility rules for a program run by the Department of Human Services, when their family cannot afford the funeral.
Services offered
- Cash benefit paid directly to the funeral director
- Covers deceased recipients of Foster Care, Public Assistance to Adults, Temporary Cash Assistance, Temporary Disability Assistance, Medical Assistance or SSI
- A newborn who was not receiving Temporary Cash Assistance may also be eligible
Who qualifies
The person who died must have been receiving assistance, or have met the eligibility requirements of a Department of Human Services program, and the family must be unable to afford funeral costs. Verification of assets, death and funeral arrangements is required.
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