Pre-Disaster
Create A Financial Emergency Kit. Put together a kit that contains some cash and checks, a list of important contacts (e.g., your insurance agent), and copies of important documents, including identification cards, birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies and inventories, wills, trusts, and deeds. Make sure your kit is stored in a safe, secure place in your home, is easy to reach and carry, and is both waterproof and fireproof. You'll want to stash enough cash (or a credit card) to pay for immediate expenses such as gas, food, and lodging.
Tip: While you're at it, you might also want to keep your most precious items in the kit, such as your special photos or family heirlooms.
Protect Your Assets. Take some commonsense precautions to safeguard your home, business, car, boat, and similar assets against damage from wind, water, fire, or other risks. For example, install an emergency generator and paperless drywall, keep loose objects (e.g., grills and patio furniture) secure, cut down overhanging tree limbs, park your car in a garage, and invest in storm windows, doors, and shutters.
Take Inventory. Create and maintain an inventory of your valuables, including appliances, electronics, furniture, clothing, jewelry, and artwork. Record models and serial numbers, and take pictures or a video of the items. This will help when it comes time to file insurance claims and purchase replacements.
Check Your Insurance Coverage. Make sure your insurance policies (e.g., homeowners, auto) include all the coverage you need, and understand that damage caused by natural disasters may not be covered under general types of policies. You may need to consider buying separate coverages for hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, or other disasters. Consult your insurance agent to determine whether you have adequate coverage given the likelihood of such events occurring in your area.
Protect Your Assets. Take some commonsense precautions to safeguard your home, business, car, boat, and similar assets against damage from wind, water, fire, or other risks. For example, install an emergency generator and paperless drywall, keep loose objects (e.g., grills and patio furniture) secure, cut down overhanging tree limbs, park your car in a garage, and invest in storm windows, doors, and shutters.
Take Inventory. Create and maintain an inventory of your valuables, including appliances, electronics, furniture, clothing, jewelry, and artwork. Record models and serial numbers, and take pictures or a video of the items. This will help when it comes time to file insurance claims and purchase replacements.
Check Your Insurance Coverage. Make sure your insurance policies (e.g., homeowners, auto) include all the coverage you need, and understand that damage caused by natural disasters may not be covered under general types of policies. You may need to consider buying separate coverages for hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, or other disasters. Consult your insurance agent to determine whether you have adequate coverage given the likelihood of such events occurring in your area.
Post-Disaster
In The Immediate Aftermath, Proceed With Caution. While the disaster may have passed, health and safety hazards may still exist. Be aware that any building you're in, including your home, may not be structurally sound, so carefully look for any apparent damage. Also, report contamination from spills of oil, gas, chemicals, or any hazardous substance.
Assess Your Property For Damage. Take pictures of damaged areas both inside and outside your home, including trees, landscaping, and yard structures such as sheds.
File Insurance Claims Immediately. Contact your insurance agent and file claims as soon as possible. The quicker you do, the sooner you can get back on your feet.
Protect Your Income. If you end up out of work, take advantage of any employee assistance programs that your employer may offer. Seek unemployment compensation from your state and ask about special job considerations for disaster victims. Find out if special unemployment benefits are available through the Department of Labor.
Get Help From Emergency Sources. If you need immediate financial help, disaster relief funds and special programs (for example, housing assistance) may be available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or your state and local governments, as well as the American Red Cross, United Way, Salvation Army, social services, and local churches.
Consider Available Tax Breaks. Tax law allows taxpayers to deduct certain unreimbursed casualty losses in the year in which they incurred, subject to certain limitations. In certain presidentially declared disaster areas, individuals can claim the loss (again, subject certain limitations) in the prior tax year by filing an amended return. Moreover, special relief (for example, bonus deprecation for business property) may be granted in the case of specific disaster events. Be sure to consult your tax professional about any tax relief that may be available to you.
Get Legal Help, If Necessary. If you experience legal difficulties, you may want to consider hiring an attorney who specializes in the complex area of natural disaster law.
Don't Ignore The Stress. Surviving a natural disaster can be a very stressful. Don't hesitate to ask for help from family and friends. If you have young children, they may be upset about damage to their home and belongings. Be patient and try to explain what's happened and how you're going to try to get back to normal as soon as possible.
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Securities offered through First Heartland Capital®, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC Advisory Services offered through First Heartland Consultants®, Inc. (Abel Financial Strategies is not affiliated with First Heartland Capital®, Inc.)
Data sources: Economic: Based on data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment, inflation); U.S. Department of Commerce (GDP, corporate profits, retail sales, housing); S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Index (home prices); Institute for Supply Management (manufacturing/services). Performance: Based on data reported in WSJ Market Data Center (indexes) and Barron's (S&P 2014 total return); U.S. Treasury (Treasury yields); U.S. Energy Information Administration/Bloomberg.com Market Data (oil spot price, WTI Cushing, OK); www.goldprices.org (spot gold/silver); Oanda/FX Street (currency exchange rates). All information is based on sources deemed reliable, but no warranty or guarantee is made as to its accuracy or completeness. News items are based on reports from multiple commonly available international news sources (i.e. wire services) and are independently verified when necessary with secondary sources such as government agencies, corporate press releases, or trade organizations. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed herein constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, and should not be relied on as financial advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal, and there can be no guarantee that any investing strategy will be successful.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a price-weighted index composed of 30 widely traded blue-chip U.S. common stocks. The S&P 500 is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-value weighted index of all common stocks listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. The Russell 2000 is a market-cap weighted index composed of 2000 U.S. small-cap common stocks. The Global Dow is an equally weighted index of 150 widely traded blue-chip common stocks worldwide. The U.S. Dollar Index is a geometrically weighted index of the value of the U.S. dollar relative to six foreign currencies. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment. Securities offered through First Heartland Capital® , Inc. Member FINRA/SIP
Data sources: Economic: Based on data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment, inflation); U.S. Department of Commerce (GDP, corporate profits, retail sales, housing); S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Index (home prices); Institute for Supply Management (manufacturing/services). Performance: Based on data reported in WSJ Market Data Center (indexes) and Barron's (S&P 2014 total return); U.S. Treasury (Treasury yields); U.S. Energy Information Administration/Bloomberg.com Market Data (oil spot price, WTI Cushing, OK); www.goldprices.org (spot gold/silver); Oanda/FX Street (currency exchange rates). All information is based on sources deemed reliable, but no warranty or guarantee is made as to its accuracy or completeness. News items are based on reports from multiple commonly available international news sources (i.e. wire services) and are independently verified when necessary with secondary sources such as government agencies, corporate press releases, or trade organizations. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed herein constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, and should not be relied on as financial advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal, and there can be no guarantee that any investing strategy will be successful.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a price-weighted index composed of 30 widely traded blue-chip U.S. common stocks. The S&P 500 is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-value weighted index of all common stocks listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. The Russell 2000 is a market-cap weighted index composed of 2000 U.S. small-cap common stocks. The Global Dow is an equally weighted index of 150 widely traded blue-chip common stocks worldwide. The U.S. Dollar Index is a geometrically weighted index of the value of the U.S. dollar relative to six foreign currencies. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment. Securities offered through First Heartland Capital® , Inc. Member FINRA/SIP
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