{"id":2943,"date":"2026-08-01T16:49:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T21:49:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hepacom.org\/auxilio-funerario\/"},"modified":"2026-08-01T16:49:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T21:49:34","slug":"auxilio-funerario","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hepacom.org\/en\/auxilio-funerario\/","title":{"rendered":"Funeral assistance: who pays for it, how much is it, and how to claim it"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last updated: August 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

It's almost always collected by the wrong person, or nobody collects it at all.<\/strong> He funeral assistance<\/em> It's money that the pension system returns to whoever paid for the funeral of a member or pensioner. In the families we assist, almost no one knew it existed, and by the time they finally ask, they've already thrown away the funeral home bill, which is the document everything depends on.<\/p>\n

We are Hepacom, the Hechos Para la Comunidad Foundation (NIT 900.841.914-1), and we work for the right to decent housing. We do not provide benefits or process paperwork: we explain what the law says, with the source alongside.<\/p>\n

What is funeral assistance and who can claim it?<\/h2>\n

The one who paid claims it, not the one who inherited it.<\/strong> That's the misunderstanding that causes the money to be lost. Law 100 of 1993<\/a> It is literal in its article 51: it has the right \u00ab"the person who proves to have paid the funeral expenses of a member or pensioner"\u00bb<\/em>. It doesn't say son, it doesn't say spouse, it doesn't say heir.<\/p>\n

So, if a neighbor paid for the funeral, the claimant is the neighbor, and if the deceased's employer paid for it, the employer claims it. When the children split the expenses but the bill is in only one child's name, only that child can file a claim. It's not divided among the family; it's a reimbursement to the person who paid.<\/p>\n

The deceased did have to be within the system, as affiliated contributor or as a pensioner<\/strong>. That condition leaves many people out and it's advisable to check it before putting together the folder.<\/p>\n

How much is the funeral assistance?<\/h2>\n

It is equivalent to the last base salary for contributions or the last pension payment, with a floor of 5 minimum salaries and a ceiling of 10.<\/strong> Article 51 establishes it as follows: \u00ab"without this aid being less than five (5) current legal monthly minimum wages, nor greater than ten (10) times said wage"\u00bb<\/em>.<\/p>\n

With the 2026 minimum wage at $1,750,905 (Decree 1469 of December 2025), the floor is around $8.7 million<\/strong> and the roof around $17.5 million<\/strong>. These are our calculations based on the standard, not a published rate: the exact amount is determined by the entity according to the person's contributions or income. This serves to illustrate the point, as the benefit almost always covers the entire funeral expenses and there's even some left over.<\/p>\n

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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Situation of the deceased<\/th>\nWho pays for funeral assistance?<\/th>\nRule<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Colpensiones Affiliate or Pensioner<\/strong> (average premium)<\/td>\nColpensiones<\/td>\nLaw 100 of 1993, art. 51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Member or pensioner of a private fund<\/strong> (individual savings)<\/td>\nThe fund manager or its insurer<\/td>\nLaw 100 of 1993, art. 86<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Death due to a work accident<\/strong> or occupational disease<\/td>\nThe ARL to which he was affiliated<\/td>\nLaw 776 of 2002, art. 16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Death in traffic accident<\/strong><\/td>\nThe SOAT insurer; if the vehicle did not have a policy or was not identified, the ECAT sub-account<\/td>\nDecree 56 of 2015, art. 19<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Person who was never affiliated<\/strong> to pensions<\/td>\nNo entity within the pension system<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Preparation of Hepacom based on Law 100 of 1993, Law 776 of 2002 and Decree 56 of 2015. The entity calculates the value in each case.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Common mistakes that ruin the application<\/h3>\n