The Superstorm and Your Financial Records

All over a large part of the USA today, there are many families whose homes were destroyed by a powerful tornado or other major storm. They are going through the remains of their homes, salvaging whatever they can. What will happen to their financial records, as papers are scattered?

Now is the time, before the storm hits your community, to start writing your financial facts. Write down your birth-date, current and past addresses.

Then write down your insurance information. List your car, homeowner's/renter's insurance company, policy number and claims department phone number. add your health insurance policy and liability insurance information, if you have it.

Password protect the information online. It is easy to do with controls that may already be on your computer.

Print  a copy of this out and put it in a clear plastic sealable bag, or put it in your purse or wallet for now. If you can, send a copy to a friend in another state to keep for you in case  your home gets destroyed. You can also put this information on a password protected flash-drive attached to your keyring.

For more information of what to collect and an easy format to use, check out the Financial Overview Template. Even if you can't collect all the information you need, imagine how relieved you will be in the event of an emergency to have some of the information easily accessible!

3 Reasons to Start Becoming Financially Organized Today

How simple is it for you to get a complete picture of your personal finances? Can you easily access your account numbers of your various accounts: bank, retirement, stock brokerage or more? Can you find your various insurance policies' numbers, and the phone number to call for claims for each?

If not, today's the day to start getting organized! Here's why:

Reason #3: If something bad happened to you - unexpectedly - would your family or a trusted friend be able to easily  access the financial arrangements you have in place? Or would they have to paw through stacks of papers desperately hoping to find the right information  instead of using precious  funds and time needed for something else? If you care for a senior citizen whose memory is going, use this today to gather as much information as you can (including some tips on where to look for other relevant information).

Reason #2: If a weather disaster occurred, would you be easily able to contact your insurance company and calmly give them the details they request to settle your claim quickly? Would you know your policy numbers and how to reach the claims departments?

Reason #1: You deserve to experience the serenity that comes from having your financial affairs organized! You deserve to be able to have your assets - and debts - in one place, so that you can access them whenever necessary.

Getting organized does not have to be overwhelming. It involves finding one single fact at a time and writing it down. You can do this while opening your mail and e-mail, whenever you get some financial information. Add to it with information about your benefits from work.

To make it easier, The Financial Overview Template (www.myfinancialrecords.net), lists the details you will want to gather, as well as how to find missing documents you may need.

Imagine what it will feel like to be organized financially...to be able to find the information you need, easily and fast.... Get started today with the Financial Overview Template!

Baby boomers: organizing personal finances now

Are you trying to plan for your own retirement, or deal with a senior citizen's tangled finances? Are your insurance, bank and stock or IRA account numbers "somewhere" in a mound of papers - maybe?
Maybe you are wondering how to get a replacement birth certificate for your senior citiizen, or for yourself.

An easy way to get organized financially is through the Financial Overview Template. Use this easy template to write down as much information as you can find now.  Then, be sure to print a hard copy of it, which you can get to if needed, if the electricity goes out.    Later, add the rest of the data, bit by bit, as you locate it or as it arrives in the mail or online. (As your information changes over time, you can update it easily.)

Some of the information may be easy to find, such as birthdates and the name and contact information of a particular accountant, doctor or dentist. Other information such as insurance account numbers and who to call in the event of a claim may take more work; if you can't find these, contact the company or wait for an update from them.

The pages online can be password-protected, and you can keep a copy of this on a password-protected flash-drive with you, handy in case of an emergency such as an unexpected trip to the hospital, evacuation or other disaster.

If you use the services of a financial planner or financial planning software, use this information from your various accounts or those of your parent (or other senior citizen) to prepare before your next visit. By visiting the website of each company and putting in the account number, you can determine the value of each account; write it and the date when this value was announced so you can report this to the financial planner.

The pay-off for this will be a serene sense of financial organization and confidence; you will be able to find  the data you need, when you need it. Just think: your account numbers will finally be easily accessible to you. Your knowledge of your benefits and what they cover, your retirement information, and many other details will be quickly available, too. Imagine how wonderful that will feel! Get the Financial Overview Template now, and be prepared with knowledge of your finances before you need it next!

Winter Storm Electra and Your Emergency Preparations

Winter Storm Electra, a severe storm,  is predicted for 20 states  of the USA in the next few days. Those affected need to be prepared with extra water, easily prepared food (and a manual can opener), extra medicine, extra batteries for flashlights, rock salt and shovels if in the freezing rain, ice storm or snow zones,  charged up cell phones and computers, a well-stocked car emergency kit if traveling, and a full tank of gas. You need to pay close attention to the latest weather reports and warnings, whether by radio, internet or TV.

But think beyond this. If the worst should happen, would you know how to reach your homeowner's/renter's, car and health insurance companies? Would you have your account numbers and the claims departments' telephone numbers handy? Would your family know how to get these for you, in the event you couldn't make these calls?

Now is the time to think about these possibilities, not later when you may be dealing with weather problems.

An easy way to get organized financially is through the Financial Overview Template. Use this easy template to write down as much information as you can find now, before the storm gets bad in your locale.  Then, be sure to print a hard copy of it, which you can get to if needed, if the electricity goes out.    After the storm, add the rest of the data, bit by bit, as you locate it. (As your information changes over time, you can update it easily.)

The pay-off for this will be a serene sense of financial organization and confidence; you will be able to find  the data you need, when you need it. Just think: your account numbers will be easily accessible. Your knowledge of your benefits and what they cover, your retirement information, and many other details will be quickly available, too. Imagine how great that will feel! Get the Financial Overview Template now, and be prepared with knowledge of your finances before the next storm comes!

Are you prepared for this disaster?

In sections of the country, disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes occur with little warning.  Thousands of people have to make the decision to suddenly evacuate  to shelters, often with little warning.

If this happens in your community, and you have to suddenly evacuate, would you be prepared to quickly take your vital financial papers with you? Obviously, saving lives is most essential, but how would you put your financial affairs back in order after the event? Would you know the names of the car insurance and flood insurance companies to call? When the clerk asks, "What is your policy number?", would you know what to say? How about needing copies of your professional license or other credentials, if you decide later to move elsewhere, or your bank account number? If you have a pension or stocks and bonds, are you going to remember the account numbers? Your employer's computer systems may have been damaged.

Before a disaster strikes your community, prepare now! You may not have much warning.

The Financial Overview Template© is a simple form to complete online, listing all of your financial information. This includes details on your bank accounts, insurance policies, retirement accounts and much more. You can do this a little each day, if that helps.  Doing this helps you feel secure that you have all the information in one place. It also helps a spouse or other family member if something happens to you. Lastly, in the event of a disaster, with a hard copy printed out in case there is no electricity for the computer,  you are more prepared.

(Put the hard copy in plastic page protectors, in a notebook, along with hard copies of all your licenses, birth and marriage certificates, first pages of your passport,  military records, diplomas, house deed and car title. Put this all in a sealed plastic bag, and it will be easy to grab in the event of a disaster.)

The Financial Overview Template © can easily be updated online, so the information stays current. (Password protect the page for extra security, or print out the template and fill it in by hand if you prefer.) Should you or your family experience disaster, you will be so thankful you had the foresight to have this information in writing, in one place!

No-one wants a disaster to happen. However, it is always better to be prepared - and that includes getting your financial affairs organized. Do it the easy way: use the Financial Overview Template!