Wisconsin · Dane County
What to do when someone dies in Dane County, Wisconsin
Dane County is home to about 588,347 people. Everything below applies county-wide.
If you cannot afford burial or cremation in Dane County, call the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Eligibility Management (statewide; applied for by the funeral home, cemetery or crematory) first, before signing anything with a funeral home. If the person was a veteran, free burial benefits may cover even more.
Wisconsin Funeral and Cemetery Aids Program (WFCAP)
Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Eligibility Management (statewide; applied for by the funeral home, cemetery or crematory)
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
Dane County burial assistance
Do not sign anything with a funeral home before you call. In many counties, signing first disqualifies the family.
Dane County program
Read this before you call
Only the funeral home, cemetery or crematory can apply and ask for a hearing, and providers may refuse services to a person who qualifies, so ask the funeral home about WFCAP before signing a contract.
Wisconsin Funeral and Cemetery Aids Program (WFCAP)
Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Eligibility Management (statewide; applied for by the funeral home, cemetery or crematory)
Official program pageWho qualifies
This state program helps pay the part of a funeral home, cemetery or crematory bill that the deceased person's estate, family and other resources do not cover. The funeral provider checks eligibility with the state after the date of death and submits the application. The page does not list income or asset limits, so ask the funeral home or call the program.
Time matters here: Application must be filed within 12 months of the date of death.
| Assets | Life insurance policies under $3,000 do not reduce the payment. Providers must first use other sources such as burial trusts, burial insurance, estate assets and fundraisers. |
|---|
What it covers
Funeral, cemetery and crematory charges not fully paid by other sources. Whether cremated remains are released and payment limits are not stated on this page.
Documents to bring
- WFCAP Application (form F-10141)
- Support documents
- Qualified Payment Form, if a qualified payment is requested
- Life insurance information
How to apply
Ask the funeral home to call WFCAP at 888-859-0611 after the date of death to check eligibility, then submit the application. If the person received Medicaid but does not qualify, the family is referred to the local agency that issued the Medicaid benefits. For Dane County cremation, the Medical Examiner's office waives its cremation permit fee once WFCAP eligibility is shown (Medical Examiner 608-284-6000).
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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 Dane 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 Wisconsin
Where copies come from
Certified copies come from the Wisconsin county Register of Deeds offices, the Milwaukee or West Allis city health offices, or the Wisconsin Vital Records Office (official site). Wisconsin gives you a lot of counters: 72 county Register of Deeds offices plus the Milwaukee and West Allis city health offices all provide vital records services, and any of them is usually faster than mailing the state. You can also order through the state Vital Records Office or through VitalChek at 877-885-2981, which charges its own fee on top. Fees change, so confirm the current amount with the office you plan to use before you send payment.
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 Dane County if the family has no money?
Dane County's assistance program (Wisconsin Funeral and Cemetery Aids Program (WFCAP)) can cover a basic burial or cremation for families who qualify. Call 888-859-0611 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 Dane 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 Dane 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 Wisconsin, 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