Department of Insurance and Financial Services
(Locate a Life Insurance Policy or Annuity Contract)
PH: (877) 999-6442
PH: (517) 284-8800
Website: www.michigan.gov/difs
Website: www.michigan.gov/difs/0,5269,7-303-12902_70492_70599-345270--,00.html (Insurance Policy Locator)

Vital Check
​Locate Vital Records (Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Certificates)
Website: www.vitalchek.com/
​

How to Locate A Life Insurance Policy:
Free Locator Tool

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Crime Victims Compensation
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES (MDHHS)
Michigan Crime Victims Services Commission
(Servicing victims and private or public nonprofit organizations that help crime victims)
Grand Tower, Suite 1113
235 S. Grand Avenue
P.O. Box 30037
​Lansing, MI 48909
PH:   (517) 373-7373
PH:   (877) 251-7373 (Toll Free)
PH:   (877) 251-7373 (Victims Only)
Fax:  (517) 373-2439
Website: www.michigan.gov/crimevictim
Website:  http://www.nacvcb.org
Website: www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/publications/CrimeVictims.pdf (Rights Act and Constitutional Amendment)
Funding Services For Victims of Violent Crimes:

• Burial assistance for homicide victims (up to $5000)
• Compensation for grief counseling to families of homicide victims includes spouse, children, parents, brothers or sisters ($500)
• Compensation for victims of violent crimes (up to $25,000)
• Medical care assistance for crime victims (injuries due to sexual assaults, physical assaults, robberies, gunshots, stabbings, car jacking, etc.)
• Psychological counseling for the injured person of a violent crime (35 visits)
• Work loss earnings with medical documentation indicating permanent disability (Up to $350/wk.)
• Crime scene clean-up, if crime occurred at residence of the victim or person eligible for the award ($500)
• Crime Victim Assistance services include physical assaults, sexual assaults, and child abuse.
• Motor vehicle accidents not eligible except in the process of a violent crime

Service Programs:

• Crime Victim Compensation
• Sexual Assault Victim Exam (S.A.F.E)
• Crime Victims Rights and Victim Assistance (VOCA)

Program Availability:
Crime Victim compensation programs are available in most states across the county.  Crime victims must contact their local government for eligibility and compensation information.
See Community Resources for information on Crime Victim Service Agencies (Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties)
​

Financial Assistance For Crime Victims (VOCA)

The State of Michigan compensates victims of crime who suffer  physical, emotional, or economic loss due to homicides, child abuse, and violent and sexual assaults.

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State Emergency Relief (SER)

The State of Michigan assists individuals and families with expenses for emergency burial expenses due to  financial hardships.

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DHS Burial Assistance Michigan
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES (MDHHS)
State Emergency Relief Program "SER Burial"
333 S. Grand Avenue
P.O. Box 30195
Lansing, MI 48909
PH:       855-275-6424 (855-ASK-MICH)
Website: https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71547_5531_62132---,00.html
When the descendant's estate, mandatory copayments, etc., are not sufficient, burial payment assistance may be available to pay the following expenses:

• Burial;
• Cremation; or
• Costs associated with donation of a body to a medical school.

An application for burial assistance must be made no later than 10 business days after the burial, cremation or donation takes place.
The decedent's remains must be in Michigan. Transportation, or other charges to bring a decedent back to Michigan, is not covered.
Maximum Payments for Burial Services
Fetus or infant under age 1 month
$120 (Payment to Funeral Home)
$45 (Payment to Cemetery or Crematory)
$0 (Payment to Vault)
Burial with memorial service
$475 (Payment to Funeral Home)
$145 (Payment to Cemetery or Crematory)
$100 (Payment to Vault)
Burial without memorial service
$240 (Payment to Funeral Home)
$145 (Payment to Cemetery or Crematory)
$100 (Payment to Vault)
Cremation with memorial service
$455 (Payment to Funeral Home)
$145 (Payment to Cemetery or Crematory)
$0 (Payment to Vault)
Cremation without memorial service
$220 (Payment to Funeral Home)
$145 (Payment to Cemetery or Crematory)
$0 (Payment to Vault)
Transportation of donated or unclaimed body being cremated
$.32 per mile up to $176 (Payment to Funeral Home)
$0 (Payment to Cemetery or Crematory)
$0 (Payment to Vault)
Irrevocable funeral agreement (8A)
$0 (Payment to Funeral Home)
$145 (Payment to Cemetery or Crematory)
$100 (Payment to Vault)
Cremation permit fee for an unclaimed body
$0 (Payment to Funeral Home)
$75 (Payment to Cemetery or Crematory)
$0 (Payment to Vault)
Disposition of unclaimed body
$555 (Payment to Funeral Home)
$145 (Payment to Cemetery or Crematory)
$100 (Payment to Vault)

Veteran's Survivor's and Dependence Allowance
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN'S AFFAIRS
PH:   (800) 827-1000
TTY:  711 (For the Hearing Impaired)
PH:   (877) 272-7337 (American Red Cross)
Website: https://www.benefits.va.gov/pension/spousepen.asp​
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:  Veteran must be honorably discharged.  Benefits paid immediately to the eligible surviving spouse or the first living relative without submitting a claim.  Claim must be filed for additional benefits including plot or interment, and transportation allowances.  Veteran must meet qualifying conditions for benefits to paid to an eligible spouse or dependent (i.e. death as a result of a service-connected disability).
MAXIMUM BENEFIT ALLOWANCES: Based on service-connected and non-service connected deaths.

• Service-connected burial $2000 (after 9/11/01)
• Non service-connected burial $1500 (before 9/11/01)
• Non service-connected burial $200 (after 10/1/14)
• Non service-connected plot $745 (after 10/1/14)
• Non service-connected burial $300 (if deceased on/after 10/1/13 but before 10/1/14)
• Non service-connected plot $734 (if deceased on/after 10/1/13 but before 10/1/14)
• Non service-connected burial $300 (if deceased on/after 10/1/12 but before 10/1/13)
• Non service-connected plot $722 (if deceased on/after 10/1/12 but before 10/1/13)
• Transporting remains may be covered if veteran burial is in the National Cemetery or if the death occurred in a VA hospital or a VA contracted nursing home.
• As of February 2015, if the veteran dies while traveling at VA expense for the purposes of examination or treatment of care, the VA will pay for burial, funeral, plot/interment allowances, and transportation expenses.
• If a veteran dies and the remains are unclaimed, the entity responsible for the burial of the veteran would be entitled to a $300 burial allowance and may reimburse for the cost of the plot and transporting the deceased remains.

FORMS AND APPLICATION PROCESS:

• Application for Burial Benefits (Form 21P-530) - attach a copy of military discharge documents (DD 214) and death certificate.
• Claiming transportation expenses - attach receipt for expenses paid.

Veteran's Survivor's Pension
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN'S AFFAIRS
PH:   (800) 827-1000
TTY:  711 (For the Hearing Impaired0
PH:   (877) 272-7337 (American Red Cross)
Website: https://www.benefits.va.gov/pension/spousepen.asp​
The Survivor's Pension benefit, as called the Death Pension is a tax-free monetary benefit payable to a low-income, un-remarried surviving spouse and/or unmarried child(ren) of a deceased veteran with wartime service.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: 

• Veteran must have served at least 90 days of active military service on or before September 7, 1980, with at least one (1) day during an eligible war time period.
• After September 7, 1980; Veteran must have served at least 24-months or the full period for which called or ordered to active, with at least one (1) day during an eligible war time period.
• FVeteran must have been Honorably Discharged.
• Benefits based on annual family income as determined by the United States Congress.
• Children of the deceased veteran must be under the age of 18, or under the age of 23 (if attending a VA approved college), or permanently disabled before the age of 18.
• See the website for eligible war time periods, income and networth limitation, and benefits calculator.

​FORMS AND APPLICATION PROCESS:

• Application for DIC, Death Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits (Form 21P-534EZ).
• Return application by mail to the Pension Management Center (PMC) or in-person at a local regional office.

Social Security Death Benefits
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
PH:   (800) 772-1213 (M-F, 7AM - 7PM)
TTY: (800) 325-0778 (For hearing impaired)
Website: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/
BENEFIT STRUCTURE OF THE "LUMP SUM DEATH BENEFIT' ($255) :

• One-time payment to a surviving spouse if cohabitating with deceased at the time of death, or, if separated but receiving certain Social Security benefits on the deceased record.
• Benefit payable to a child who is eligible for benefits on the deceased record during the month of death, if no surviving spouse.  If a minor child, they must be in school full-time.
• Benefit payable to a surviving spouse of a worker depending on the number of credits accrued by the deceased during employment years and age of the deceased at the time of death.  (Workers must accrue 40 credits or 10 years of employment history to be eligible for any Social Security benefit).
• Benefit payable to a surviving spouse and dependents if the deceased worker has one (1) credit (accrued from $1320 of earnings) or one and a half (1 1/2) years of employment (equivalent to 6 credits) within three (3) years prior to death.
• Monthly benefits may be payable to surviving spouse or children under certain circumstances:

1. A widow/widower aged 60 or older
2. A widow/widow aged 50 or older, if disabled
3. A surviving divorced spouse (must be married 10 years or more)
4. If surviving divorced spouse remarries after age 60 (age 50, if disabled), remarriage will not affect benefits.
5. A surviving divorced spouse caring for the deceased worker's biological or legally adopted child(ren) under age 16 or disabled.  Length of marriage remarried invalid.
6. A widow/widower caring for surviving child(ren) under age 16 or disabled child(ren)
7. An unmarried surviving child(ren) under age 18 (or age 19, if in school)
8. An unmarried surviving child(ren) aged 18 or older, if disabled

• Benefits may be payable to other family members, if eligible under certain circumstances:

1. Stepchild, grandchild, step grandchild, or adopted child
2. Parents, aged 62 or older, if dependent on the deceased for at least half of their support.

• Benefits payable to widow/widower at full retirement age, or reduced benefits at age 60 if a surviving spouse of a worker eligible for Social Security (earned full work credits prior to death)
• Benefits payable to widow/widower at age 50, if disabled, and the disability started before or within seven (7) years of the worker's death.
• Monthly survivor's benefits based on the earnings of the deceased worker and amount paid is a percentage of the deceased basic Social Security benefit.
• Other eligibility criteria may affect benefits - visit website or contact the Social Security Administration.