Indigent Funeral & Burial Expenses
Rules Change

Effective July 1, 2010, the rules for DTA payment of funeral expenses for the indigent have changed. DTA will still reimburse for up to $1,100, but the requirement that the total funeral cost be no more than $1,500 has been removed.

What This Means

Note that the amount that DTA pays has not changed - they will pay up to $1,100. Any of the deceased’s assets, any assets of "legally responsible" relatives (a spouse or the parent of a minor) and any other sources of payment are subtracted from this maximum amount.

In the past, due to the $1,500 maximum, funeral homes would offer a simple cremation with no funeral service or other "extras"; and even this they were providing at a loss. What if non-legally responsible family or friends wanted to chip in or fundraise to have a viewing or a funeral service? Before this change, any cost (above $1500) added to the service would make the entire burial expense ineligible for DTA benefits. Family/friends either had to foot the entire bill or forgo the additional expense. Now that the limit has been removed, the bereaved may supplement the very basic service covered by the $1,100 maximum paid by DTA.

What We Don't Know

Will there be unintended consequences? Will this negatively affect funeral homes' willingness to offer low-cost options? The Community Resource Center is very interested in real-world experience with the new regulations. If you have experiences, either positive or negative, under the new system please contact the CRC via phone (Samantha Gallant x6-8182 or Ellen Forman x6-5807) or via e-mail. Thank you.

-Adapted from “Funeral and Final Disposition Payment Changes: Field Operations Memo 2010-34”, DTA Transitions, August 2010 forwarded by Mass Coalition for the Homeless’ Housing Benefits Google Group, August 12, 2010.

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