Blogging for Change

Weather-proof your financial documents

by Jessica Horton on
9/2/2011
in Personal Finance

The weather across the country this year has been nothing short of crazy. From tornadoes to droughts to hurricanes, the weather patterns have proven to be unpredictable.

Because severe weather strikes whether you’re ready or not – so it’s important to ensure that all of your personal, financial documents are disaster-proof.

The following are a few tips to keep your important records safe and dry:

  • You should first locate all of your documents according to category. Make sure you have access to your personal identification documents, which include your Social Security card, birth certificate, passport, and marriage license. You should also inventory your financial records, including banking information, account numbers, retirement account information, insurance policies, tax records, deeds, mortgage papers, vehicle titles, and your will.
  • Make copies of all of your important documents, such as insurance policies, birth certificates, social security cards, and wills. Keep all of the originals at your residence, and keep the copies at an alternate location, such as a safety-deposit box at the bank or with a trusted family member.
    Keep all of your important papers and documents in a fire-proof, waterproof lock box that you can easily grab if necessary. Make sure all of your family members know where it’s located in case of an emergency.
  • Make digital copies of your records and documents. Scan items such as birth certificates and tax documents. If you’re storing these documents on a computer, make sure you back up your computer on a regular basis. You can save the most important documents on an external hard drive that you can keep in your lockbox.
  • Keep an inventory of your valuable items for insurance purposes. Set aside a day every month or so and review the list and make sure it’s up to date. It won’t take a lot of time, but it will become extremely valuable in the case of an emergency.
  • Review your property insurance policies with you agent. If you don’t know what your policy covers, now is the time to find out – not in the wake of a disaster.

As with any crisis, proper preparation makes the road to recovery a much smoother one. While it’s not fun to imagine worst-case scenarios, it’s ultimately better to be safe than sorry.

Jessica Horton is a former copywriter and community manager at MMI.

Recommended Articles

Man sitting in front of pile of bills, trying to understand his options.
Professional Budget Advice
Make the most of every dollar and start building toward your dreams! Budget counseling is FREE and available 24/7.
Learn More
Learn more
  • Better Business Bureau A+ rating Better Business Bureau
    MMI is proud to have achieved an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), a nonprofit organization focused on promoting and improving marketplace trust. The BBB investigates charges of fraud against both consumers and businesses, sets standards for truthfulness in advertising, and evaluates the trustworthiness of businesses and charities, providing a score from A+ (highest) to F (lowest).
  • Financial Counseling Association of America Financial Counseling Association of America
    MMI is a proud member of the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA), a national association representing financial counseling companies that provide consumer credit counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling, bankruptcy counseling, debt management, and various financial education services.
  • Trustpilot Trustpilot
    MMI is rated as “Excellent” (4.9/5) by reviewers on Trustpilot, a global, online consumer review platform dedicated to openness and transparency. Since 2007, Trustpilot has received over 116 million customer reviews for nearly 500,000 different websites and businesses. See what others are saying about the work we do.
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development - Equal Housing Opportunity Department of Housing and Urban Development
    MMI is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide consumer housing counseling. The mission of HUD is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD provides support services directly and through approved, local agencies like MMI.
  • Council on Accreditation Council On Accreditation
    MMI is proudly accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), an international, independent, nonprofit, human service accrediting organization. COA’s thorough, peer-reviewed accreditation process is designed to ensure that organizations like MMI are providing the highest standard of service and support for clients and employees alike.
  • National Foundation for Credit Counseling National Foundation for Credit Counseling
    MMI is a longstanding member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®), the nation’s largest nonprofit financial counseling organization. Founded in 1951, the NFCC’s mission is to promote financially responsible behavior and help member organizations like MMI deliver the highest-quality financial education and counseling services.