Securing Your Records

NOW is the time to gather your important papers for a financial emergency kit! Should you need to leave your residence/workplace in a hurry, having your kit prepared ahead will be extremely advantageous.

Supply your kit with the following;

Important Papers

• Passports
• Driver's License
• Social Security Card
• Checkbooks
• Bank accounts
• Lines of credit

Account numbers and passwords

• Insurance policy numbers
• Brokerage account numbers
• Bank account numbers
• Estate documents

Key contacts

• Cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses
• Family
• Professional contacts
• Police, fire department, ambulance
• Red Cross
• Local emergency response center
• Employer human resources contact

If you keep your information on a laptop computer, be sure to have a printed copy available in the event you can't use your computer. A battery operated radio may be very useful.

Preparing for Quick Escape

Loss of power would bring most activities to a halt. However, it may be a good idea to keep some extra cash available (for groceries, gas, etc) to last a couple of weeks. Think of alternate power sources such as generators or your car features to re-charge a cell phone or run a lap top computer. Keep your cell phone car adaptor in the car and the electrical recharging cord with your emergency financial emergency kit.

Keep your gas tank more than half full and consider keeping a few extra gallons on hand to take with you if you're forced to leave suddenly. Keep maps in the car to help you determine an escape route.

You may want to keep a basket of non-perishable food & water in your car as well.

The U.S. government has a "Be Ready Guide" available at www.ready.gov.

It's hard to imagine having to take action because of loss of electricity, water contamination, fire, nuclear, biological or chemical attack. But, we all understand now that our lives have changes drastically since Sept. 11, 2001 and now the war with Iraq. Being prepared for the unexpected can give you some small peace of mind and undoubtedly make life a bit easier in any case.

Article courtesy of:

Elaine Todd, LUTCF,AAMS,RFC
TODD FINANCIAL SERVICES
302 Ferry St., Suite 204
Lafayette, IN 47901
Ph.#765-474-3220
888-237-7827
www.lifeandmoneymap.com