West Virginia · Kanawha County
What to do when someone dies in Kanawha County, West Virginia
Kanawha County is home to about 173,906 people. Everything below applies county-wide.
If you cannot afford burial or cremation in Kanawha County, call the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance (applications taken by the county office where the person lived) first, before signing anything with a funeral home. If the person was a veteran, free burial benefits may cover even more.
West Virginia Indigent Burial Program
West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance (applications taken by the county office where the person lived)
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
Kanawha County burial assistance
Do not sign anything with a funeral home before you call. In many counties, signing first disqualifies the family.
Kanawha County program
Read this before you call
The burial or cremation cannot have occurred more than 30 days before the application date, and the application must be signed in blue ink.
West Virginia Indigent Burial Program
West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance (applications taken by the county office where the person lived)
350 Capitol Street, Room 730, Charleston, WV 25301 (opens in Google Maps)
Official program pageWho qualifies
This state program helps pay for a burial or cremation when the person who died had no resources to pay. The person must have lived in West Virginia, their income must not have exceeded 133 percent of the federal poverty level, and available resources must be under $2,200 for an adult. The application is normally taken by the county office where the person lived, and a relative or the person arranging the burial can apply.
Time matters here: The application must be completed and approved, and the burial or cremation cannot have happened more than 30 days before the application date.
What it pays, what you pay
Maximum payment of $1,000 toward funeral costs.
| Income | Income of the person who died must not have exceeded 133 percent of the federal poverty level. |
|---|---|
| Assets | Liquid assets such as life insurance, burial trusts, cash and bank accounts must be under $2,200 for an adult. A claim may be placed against the estate. |
| Residency | The person who died must have been a West Virginia resident at the time of death, with a narrow exception for non-residents who die while traveling. |
What it covers
Burial or cremation (cremation is allowed). The state pays a burial rate of up to $1,000 toward all funeral costs. Green burial is not covered.
Documents to bring
- Form DFA-BU-1, Application for Burial Expenses
- Form DFA-BU-2, Affidavit of Responsible Relative
- Proof of death and proof the person who died lived in West Virginia
- Income verification for any responsible relative, within 10 days
How to apply
Call the Division of Family Assistance at 304-352-4431 or contact the local Department of Human Services field office for Kanawha County to ask about starting an application. The funeral home also helps develop other resources such as Social Security benefits.
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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 Kanawha 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 West Virginia
Where copies come from
Certified copies come from the West Virginia Department of Health, Vital Registration Office (official site). Copies are $12 each, and that includes a non-refundable search fee. The fastest route is walking up: same day service is available at the Vital Registration Office, 350 Capitol Street, Charleston, weekdays 8:30am to 5:00pm at the walk-up window. By mail, send the application with a COLOR copy of your ID and a check or money order, since those are the only accepted mail payments. West Virginia has no direct online ordering of its own, so expedited online orders go through VitalChek.
Order about 10 certified copies. Banks, insurers, Social Security, vehicles, and property will each want one.
West Virginia death certificate cost, address and how to order
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 Kanawha County if the family has no money?
Kanawha County's assistance program (West Virginia Indigent Burial Program) can cover a basic burial or cremation for families who qualify. Call 304-352-4431 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 Kanawha 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 Kanawha 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 West Virginia, 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