Knowing how to pay for a funeral with no money is essential when life throws us those curveballs.

Thankfully, you have a variety of options from using New Mexico's Human Services Department funeral help to trying a low-cost or free alternative.

In this article, we look at the top five ways you can pay for a funeral without a budget or excess money in your personal bank accounts. So, without further ado, let's jump right into the details.

5 Ways To Pay For A Funeral Without Money

1. Use Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Funeral Assistance

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is offering financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses you've incurred after January 20, 2020.

The specific expenses covered vary massively. You might get monetary help with any of the following related costs:

• Casket or urn
• Transportation for two people to identify the deceased person
• Transfer of remains
• Use of funeral home staff and equipment
• Grave marker or headstone
• Burial plot or cremation niche
• Additional expenses mandated by your local or state government ordinances or laws
• Costs related to producing and certifying numerous death certificates
• Arrangement of the ceremony
• Clergy or officiant services

The deceased individual doesn't need to be a U.S. citizen, a qualified alien, or a non-citizen national to gain access to this program. Plus, you may obtain assistance for the funerals of multiple people.

However, the following cannot apply for FEMA funeral help:

• Temporary tourist visa holders
• Temporary work visa holders
• Foreign students
• Habitual residents (citizens of the Federated States of Palau, Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands)

A FEMA representative can walk you through the application once you call the toll-free number.

Multilingual services are available, and you're given an application number once you complete the call.

2. Use New Mexico's Human Services Department Funeral Help

If you can't qualify for FEMA's COVID-19-related funeral assistance program, you may receive help from New Mexico's Human Services Department.

Currently, the Department offers a maximum of $200 toward funeral expenses and up to $600 for burial expenses. However, you must receive other medical or financial help at the time of applying to qualify.

Depending on your situation, you might also be able to access the help through your chosen funeral home.

3. Use Military And Veteran Funeral Assistance

All military veterans are entitled to a free burial in a national cemetery — grave marker included.

As a veteran, you don't have to pay for opening and closing the grave, lining a vault, or installing the grave marker. However, you must pay for transportation, flowers, and other funeral costs.

With that said, you don't have to be buried in a national cemetery to get help. Many commercial cemeteries offer discounts to veterans. Sometimes, the discount might be a free plot or lower opening and closing fees.

For non-service-related deaths, the Veterans Affairs Department pays up to $780 for burial costs if the deceased was hospitalized by the VA at the time of death. Without this hospitalization, the VA pays $300 toward funeral expenses.

For service-related deaths, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs pays up to $2,000 for burial expenses. You may also receive the cost of transportation if the veteran is buried in a national cemetery. To get reimbursement, you need to meet the following:

• You paid for the veteran's funeral, AND
• A different agency provided reimbursement, AND
• The veteran was honorably discharged, AND
• Received a VA pension or compensation, OR
• chose not to use their entitled compensation, OR
• died while traveling for authorized treatment, OR
• died at a VA-backed nursing home, OR
• died while in a VA facility or under a contract, OR
• had a pending claim for a pension or compensation before death.

4. Try Low-Cost Or Free Funeral Options

You can pay for a funeral with very little money in the following ways:

• Direct cremation — It's the cheapest option. The body is cremated immediately and returned to the family.
• Body donation — You could donate the body for scientific, medical, or educational purposes.
• DIY funeral service or memorial — You can gather family and friends in a home, community center, or church to honor their life. It eliminates the high cost of funeral homes.

5. Use A Title Loan

Finally, you can use a title loan from us to fund the costs. With just a driver's license, vehicle, and a lien-free vehicle title, you can borrow between $300 and $10,000 to fund the funeral.

You don't need to have a good credit score, and the in-person process takes just half an hour. Plus, you'll receive the money you need in just 24 hours!

Get Title Loans From Us Today!

Pay for a funeral with our New Mexico title loans now! Our straightforward process and limited requirements take the financial stress off an already tragic event.

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.