Minnesota · St. Louis County
What to do when someone dies in St. Louis County, Minnesota
St. Louis County is home to about 200,794 people. Everything below applies county-wide.
If you cannot afford burial or cremation in St. Louis County, call the St. Louis County Public Health & Human Services, Economic Services & Supports first, before signing anything with a funeral home. If the person was a veteran, free burial benefits may cover even more.
St. Louis County Burial Assistance
St. Louis County Public Health & Human Services, Economic Services & Supports
When they answer, say: "I need to apply for burial assistance for a family member." It is okay if you do not have documents ready. They will tell you what to bring.
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Step 1 of 5 · If money is tight
St. Louis County burial assistance
Do not sign anything with a funeral home before you call. In many counties, signing first disqualifies the family.
St. Louis County program
Read this before you call
Apply in writing before any funeral services are held, and do not add upgrades such as a pricier casket, or the application can be denied.
St. Louis County Burial Assistance
St. Louis County Public Health & Human Services, Economic Services & Supports
Official program pageWho qualifies
The county pays for immediate disposition or direct cremation for residents who cannot pay. Eligibility is based on the resources of the person who died and of a surviving spouse (or the parents, if a minor child died). Anyone may apply on behalf of the person who died, not only next of kin.
Time matters here: Application must be made in writing before funeral services are held, unless a weekend, holiday or extraordinary circumstance prevents it.
What it pays, what you pay
Set by county burial rates (amount not published)
| Assets | Available resources of $2,500 or less are approved; over $2,500 is denied. Approved help is reduced by the value of the available resources. One home and one vehicle of the spouse or parent are not counted, and up to $1,000 of a spouse or parent resources is excluded. |
|---|---|
| Residency | The person who died must have been a St. Louis County resident at the time of death, and proof of residence is needed if they were not on public assistance. |
What it covers
Cremation with funeral home and professional fees, or a traditional burial with casket, grave box, cemetery lot and opening and closing if cremation is against the beliefs of the person or family. The county decides the method and cremation is the default. Markers, flowers, obituaries and upgrades are not paid, and adding upgrades can cause denial.
Documents to bring
- Completed and signed Application for St. Louis County Burial (form PHHS #02-05-0256)
- Verification of resources of the person who died and of a surviving spouse or parent
- Proof of St. Louis County residence if the person was not on public assistance
- Any other verifications the county requests
How to apply
Fill out the burial application and send it by email to ESS@stlouiscountymn.gov (subject line Burial Application), fax it (northern county 218-471-7123, southern county 218-733-2976), upload it online, or ask the funeral director to help. You can also call the Duluth office at 218-726-2101, Virginia 218-471-7137, Hibbing 218-312-8300 or Ely 218-365-8220.
Typical timeline: If the application is missing items, the county holds it up to 30 days for them, then denies it. Funeral services may go ahead before the decision as long as the county has received the application. A denial can be appealed within 30 days.
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Step 2 of 5 · If they served
Was the person a veteran?
This can replace the county program
You may be able to skip the county program entirely. Veterans can receive a free gravesite, headstone, and perpetual care at a national or state veterans cemetery, plus a VA burial allowance of up to $2,000 for service-connected deaths.
Veteran burial help in St. Louis CountyFrom our free tools
Housing costs weighing on the family too?
Check what housing assistance the household may qualify for, including Section 8 vouchers, in a few minutes. Free, no signup.
Check housing help at CheckMyVoucher.com4
Step 4 of 5 · The paperwork
Death certificates in Minnesota
Where copies come from
Certified copies come from the Any Minnesota county vital records office, or the Minnesota Department of Health Office of Vital Records (official site). County offices generally give the fastest service, and for deaths from 1997 to the present ANY Minnesota county can issue the record, not just the county where the death happened. Deaths between 1908 and 1997 must come from the county of death or the state. One copy is $13 and each additional identical copy is only $2, so order everything you need at once. Fees are non-refundable even if the record cannot be found. If you order by mail or fax you must sign the form in front of a notary, and some counties do not take credit cards.
Order about 10 certified copies. Banks, insurers, Social Security, vehicles, and property will each want one.
Know your rights
Every funeral home must follow these rules
Federal law (the FTC Funeral Rule) protects you. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.
- They must give you prices over the phone. Refusing is a federal violation. Call two or three homes; prices for identical services can differ by thousands on the same street.
- Embalming is rarely required by law. If someone claims it is legally required, ask them to show you the law. Direct cremation and immediate burial never need it.
- You can decline anything in a package. You have the right to an itemized price list and to buy only what you choose.
- You can buy a casket anywhere. The funeral home must accept it without charging a handling fee.
Full rules: the FTC Funeral Rule. If a funeral home breaks them, you can report it to the FTC.
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Step 5 of 5 · If you need more
Beyond the county, more help
Where families find the rest
- Dial 211 for local charities, churches, and county funds with money available right now.
- Ask local churches directly. Many congregations have benevolence funds for funerals even for non-members.
- Ask the funeral home about a payment plan or a simpler package. Direct cremation is usually the lowest-cost professional option, and prices vary widely between providers in the same city.
- Considering a fundraiser? Read crowdfunding a funeral: what works.
- And take care of you. Grief is not a checklist. If you are struggling, call or text 988 (free, 24/7) to talk to someone, and most hospices offer free grief support groups to the whole community, no connection to their patients required.
Right now
The first 48 hours
Nothing else on this page matters until these are done. Everything not on this list can wait, and most of it should.
- 1Get the pronouncement. Hospital or hospice handles it; at home, call 911.
- 2Ask one person to help. Making calls should not all be on you.
- 3Look for written wishes or prepaid arrangements before agreeing to anything.
- 4Money tight? Call the county FIRST. Signing with a funeral home first can disqualify you.
- 5Secure the home, pets, vehicles, and any dependents.
- 6Start one folder for every paper you receive. You will need it constantly.
- 7Banks and insurance can wait. That is week one, not today.
Questions families ask
Straight answers
Who pays for a funeral in St. Louis County if the family has no money?
St. Louis County's assistance program (St. Louis County Burial Assistance) can cover a basic burial or cremation for families who qualify. Call 218-726-2101 before signing anything with a funeral home.
Does Social Security pay anything when someone dies?
Yes. An eligible surviving spouse or child can claim a one-time $255 lump-sum death payment by calling 1-800-772-1213, and monthly survivor benefits are often available too.
What if the person who died in St. Louis County was a veteran?
Veterans may qualify for free burial in a national or state veterans cemetery plus a VA burial allowance, which can matter more than any county program. See our St. Louis County veteran page for details.
How many death certificates do I need?
Most families need about 10 certified copies for banks, insurance, and property. In Minnesota, order through the funeral home or the state vital records office.
How much does a funeral usually cost?
A traditional funeral with burial commonly runs $7,000 to $12,000. Direct cremation is usually the lowest-cost professional option, often $700 to $2,000, and prices vary widely between providers in the same area, so it pays to call two or three. Every funeral home must give you prices over the phone under the FTC Funeral Rule.
I have power of attorney. Can I still use it?
No, and this surprises almost everyone: a power of attorney ends the moment the person dies. After death, authority passes to the executor named in the will, or to a court-appointed administrator when there is no will. Funeral decisions belong to the next of kin in the order set by state law, usually spouse first, then adult children, then parents, then siblings.
Nobody had power of attorney. Is that a problem?
For after-death decisions, no. Power of attorney only matters while someone is alive. The next of kin can make funeral decisions right away, and the estate is handled through the will or, without one, through the state's simple next-of-kin rules. See our guide on what happens when there is no will.
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Step 3 of 5 · Money owed to you
The Social Security $255 payment
Who can claim it
A surviving spouse who was living with the person who died, or a spouse or child eligible for benefits on the deceased person's record.
Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or visit a local office. You must apply within 2 years of the death. The funeral home often reports the death to SSA, but the survivor must apply for the payment.
Full guide: the $255 death payment, explained