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With hurricane season upon us, it is time to put preparations in place. While we can never be sure when a storm might stir up, we can be sure that we are ready.

Get Your Home Ready

Take a good look around your home and consider any vulnerable areas in your siding or roof. Have them fixed now to make your home as storm resilient as possible. Remove dead branches from trees and keep shrubbery trimmed. Decide now where you can store outdoor furniture during a storm.

Gather Disaster Supplies

The first few weeks in June are great time to stock up on supplies. Create or update your disaster supply kit, including:

• Food and water
• Flashlights
• First aid kits
• Personal hygiene products, etc.

Don’t forget supplies for children (such as diapers or formula) and pets (such as food and leashes.) Leave a list in the box for things you may need last minute, such as additional medications.

Have Plans in Place

Know the evacuation routes in your area. Talk with your family about where you would go in the event of a hurricane, and where you could meet up if you get separated. FloridaDisaster.org provides multiple resources to keep you updated during a storm. Create an inventory of high-value items, either on video or paper. Speak with your advisor now, before a storm is on the way, about your storm insurance coverage and be sure you are as protected as you can be.

Keep Essentials Accessible

Don’t wait until the lines form to remove some cash from the ATM. Keep some in your disaster kit. Make digital copies of essential documents, such as:

• Tax returns, wills, trusts, and powers of attorney,
• birth and marriage certificates, and
• social security cards.

Keep the originals in a water-proof bag or container. Meet with your advisor to ensure they have all your documents up to date as well. Learn what the firm’s plans are in the event of a disaster. For instance, here at Tobias Financial Advisors, we keep our documents in digital format and our advisors are prepared to work remotely, via the internet, if necessary.

No one wants to think about the worst case scenario, but preparing for it leaves you ready to ride out a storm safely and with as little damage as possible. If you have any concerns about your assets or plans in the wake of a disaster, call us today at 954.424.1660.