Texas · Fort Bend County
What to do when someone dies in Fort Bend County, Texas
Fort Bend County is home to about 958,434 people. Everything below applies county-wide.
If you cannot afford burial or cremation in Fort Bend County, call the Fort Bend County Social Services, Health & Human Services first, before signing anything with a funeral home. If the person was a veteran, free burial benefits may cover even more.
Indigent Burials (Pauper and Indigent Burial Services)
Fort Bend County Social Services, Health & Human Services
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.
Step 1 of 5 · If money is tight
Fort Bend County burial assistance
Do not sign anything with a funeral home before you call. In many counties, signing first disqualifies the family.
Fort Bend County program
Indigent Burials (Pauper and Indigent Burial Services)
Fort Bend County Social Services, Health & Human Services
301 Jackson St, Richmond, TX 77469 (opens in Google Maps)
Official program pageWho qualifies
For families with no resources for a dignified burial or cremation of someone who died in Fort Bend County. Approved case by case when the family can show no means of burying the deceased. The applicant must be the legal next of kin.
Time matters here: Call for an appointment as soon as possible; the legal next of kin must apply and sign a Pauper Oath before arrangements are finalized.
| Income | Proof of income is required (current award letters and pay stubs), and the decedent's income is reviewed by the bereavement coordinator. No specific dollar thresholds are published. |
|---|---|
| Assets | The family cannot have assets or resources that can be liquidated, or any insurance policy on the deceased that covers burial. |
| Residency | The decedent must have passed away in Fort Bend County. |
What it covers
Burial or cremation. Cost caps and remains-release details are not published, so ask when you call.
Documents to bring
- ID card or driver license and Social Security card for the deceased
- ID card or driver license and Social Security card for the applicant
- Proof of income: current award letters and current pay stubs
- Signed Pauper's Oath
How to apply
Call Social Services at 281-238-3502 to schedule an appointment, or email socialservices@fbchhs.org to request an application as the legal next of kin. The family signs a Pauper's Oath, and a bereavement coordinator collects income and eligibility information. Main Social Services line: 281-342-7300.
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 Fort Bend 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.comStep 4 of 5 · The paperwork
Death certificates in Texas
Where copies come from
Certified copies come from the Texas Department of State Health Services, Vital Statistics Section (official site). Order online, by mail, or through the local county clerk where the death occurred. Most families need about 10 certified copies. Check the DSHS site for current fees.
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.
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.
Local sponsor
Own a funeral home or cremation service in Fort Bend County? This page has one exclusive sponsor spot, reserved at the founding rate of $349 per month.
Sponsor Fort Bend CountyQuestions families ask
Straight answers
Who pays for a funeral in Fort Bend County if the family has no money?
Fort Bend County's assistance program (Indigent Burials (Pauper and Indigent Burial Services)) can cover a basic burial or cremation for families who qualify. Call 281-238-3502 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 Fort Bend 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 Fort Bend 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 Texas, 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.
Legal help sponsor
Estate or probate attorney serving Fort Bend County? Families here are one week from probate questions. One exclusive spot, founding rate $349 per month.
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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