What You Need in a Financial Survival Kit from Texas Bookkeepers, LLC

Disasters can happen anywhere, at any given moment and without much warning. Most disasters can't be predicted and usually when they do strike, they blindside us, and leave us with the unfortunate circumstance of trying to piece together lost information that we don't give a second thought to daily. However there are some disasters that can be predicted, and those situations you can be prepared for. The National Weather Service can predict the occurrence of hurricanes, tsunamis and tornadoes with enough accuracy to give the local population an advanced 30 minutes warning. Water, batteries and flashlights top most peoples' disaster survival lists, as they should. But many don't realize how important your financial documents are as well, especially after the disaster strikes.

The American Red Cross and the American Institute of CPAs put together a Financial Survival Kit that could save you frustration and as well as your financial future. Here is a list of papers to keep in a sealable plastic bag, a plastic storage container, or anything that will be easy to grab and run with. For business owners, you should have a separate kit for your business documents to make things easier. Here is a basic list of items that you should have:

• A copy of your driver's license or state identification
• Birth certificates
• Social Security cards
• Tax returns for the last three years
• Passports
• Copies of your credit cards and bank account information
• Copies of current prescriptions, including eyeglasses, and any medical histories that EMS and medical personnel would need to know - allergies, asthma, diabetes, etc
• List of your emergency contacts - family members, doctors, insurance agents, financial advisors
• Insurance cards, policy numbers and agents contact information - life, health, homeowner, auto, renters
• Safe deposit box, information - name of financial institution, list of contents and the key
• Copies of any living wills, power of attorney or medical power of attorney
• Enough cash for living expenses for 3 days for your entire family
• Prepaid phone cards, cell phone charger
• Stock/bond certificates
• Car titles
• Mortgage information and deed to your home

It is always best to have hard copies of all these important documents, but it also wouldn't hurt to scan all of these items onto your computer and transfer them to a flash drive. You can drop the small flash drive into your plastic kit to serve as a back-up if need be. Gathering and organizing all of this information may take a few hours of your time, but in retrospect when you think of the months it could take to recover your lost items, a few hours doesn't seem so bad does it? Just having a few vital pieces of financial information could save you, your family and your business from severe financial devastation.

Have any more questions? 
Contact Lisa Morton at Texas Bookeepers, LLC
(713) 365-9995