Is your family financially prepared for an emergency?

Just as you stockpile water, food, flashlights, and other necessities in case of a disaster, you should also gather all the financial information you would need in an emergency. Unfortunately, too many families lack an “emergency financial first-aid kit”—an omission that can make an already stressful situation overwhelming.

Fortunately, putting together your emergency documentation is straightforward. According to the Federal Emergency Management Company, your first-aid kit should have four parts:

• Household identification
• Financial and legal documentation
• Medical information
• Household contacts

Here’s a breakdown of the information that FEMA reports you should have for each part:

Household Identification

Gather the documentation that proves the identities of each of your family members, including:

• Driver’s licenses and other photo IDs
• Birth certificates, adoption papers, and child custody documents
• Marriage licenses
• Divorce records
• Social Security cards
• Child identity cards, dental records, and DNA swabs
• Passports, green cards, and naturalization records
• Current military IDs and military discharge records

Also, create a document listing your and your spouse’s names plus:

• Date of birth
• Residence
• Contact information
• Employment information
• Supervisor contact information
• Emergency notification

Also, include the names and contact information for each child or other individual in the residence.

Financial and Legal Documentation

In this section, include information such as:

• Mortgages or lease agreements
• Financial obligations, including credit cards and child support payments
• Financial accounts, such as checking and retirement accounts
• Insurance policies
• Sources of income
• Tax statements
• Estate planning documents

Create a document that includes the name of the institution for each of your accounts, including:

• Company’s phone number and website
• Name on the card or policy
• Policy number or last four digits of account number
• Payment amounts
• Due dates
• Any other pertinent information

Medical Information

Use this section to record your family’s health and medical information, such as:

• Physician, pediatrician, and other medical specialists
• Copies of health insurance ID cards
• Copies of pharmacy ID cards
• Medicare and Medicaid cards
• Records of immunizations and allergies
• Caregiver agency contracts or service agreements
• Medications and copies of current prescriptions
• List models, serial numbers, and suppliers for medical equipment
• Disabilities documentation
• Living wills and medical powers of attorney

Household Contacts

This section should include contact information for all your service providers, including:

• Mortgage representative or landlord
• Doctor, dentist, and other health care providers
• Insurance agent
• Military benefits contact person
• Social services representative
• Local disability service provider or case manager
• Provider of assistive technology or durable medical equipment
• Lawyer
• Financial advisor
• Banking institution
• Neighborhood, civic, and house of worship contacts
• Household service providers, such as plumber or electrician

No doubt, this financial first-aid kit will take some time and diligence to put together and maintain. However, it can help you recover from a disaster much more efficiently and with less heartache.

FEMA has a guide that includes checklists and other resources to help you compile your financial information. You can download a guide by clicking here.

 I hope you never need to use your first-aid kit, but I believe the peace of mind that you can gain from knowing you have one in place is invaluable.