Estate Planning During Hurricane Season
If you live in Louisiana, then you’re no stranger to hurricanes. Starting June 1st, hurricane season officially starts. So, let’s talk about how to prepare yourself with best practices when it comes to your valuables - including your estate planning documents
There’s not much we can do about hurricanes.
But, there’s plenty we can do to prepare ourselves, just in case we get a big one this year.
Many of you have evacuation plans, others have the go-to playlist for the shelter-in-place party.
But, no matter how you choose to handle this time of year, it’s important to consider how you can keep your most valuable assets safe from inclement weather.
As a native Louisianan and an estate planning attorney, I know how important it is to take steps to prepare for hurricane season.
The easiest way to ensure you and your family are taken care of in the event of a hurricane-related evacuation, power outage, and/or flooding is to organize and store your important documents during the off-season.
Yes, hurricane season starts tomorrow (June 1st), but you still have some time to get your stuff together.
In this blog post, I’ve created a list of the 3 most important types of documents you need to put your eyes on ASAP.
Doing so will allow for easy access if you need to get out of dodge.
Have you thought about your estate plan in the past few weeks, months, or even years?
Here’s your sign that today is your day to make sure you know where those notarized documents are.
By the time the warnings go out, it’s too late to do anything but grab what’s in front of you and get out the door.
And, if you are one of the 65% of Louisianans who haven’t done any estate planning, then you’re obviously not alone.
Reach out to me today, if you’re interested in (finally) getting your estate plan done.
First things first, save yourself some stress by getting a folder or compartment where all these documents are kept year-round.
I highly recommend using a fireproof and waterproof item that’s large enough to store all documents together. Then, pick a place where it lives.
Helpful tip: make sure the estate planning folder is in a place you can stand for it to be all the time.
So, if it’s tucked away in a cabinet, make sure it’s a cabinet right by the door. Or make sure it’s in the office next to your phone charger.
That way it’s easy to find and take with you when you’re rushing out the door.
Download the free Will in a Weekend Worksheet and give yourself the gift of writing a Louisiana will in the time it takes you to go to the grocery store this weekend.
What’s your hurricane evacuation plan?
The last time we had to evacuate, I had about 5 minutes to get my two small boys in the car with everything we’d need for God knows how long.
In the days leading up to the storm, one kid had a tournament that wasn’t canceled until the last minute. My husband and I both own our own businesses, each going haywire in the days before.
It was anything but a calm before the storm.
By the time the spinning clouds changed directions, its arrival was just hours away. We had to make moves - and fast.
And, true to form, by the time we got out on the road, we helped turn the highway into a parking lot.
When we finally showed up at my parents’ house, I realized that I’d grabbed the boys’ iPad charger, but forgot the one for my work laptop.
I remembered (most of) the important stuff but knew I had to get my evacuation plan set. I made my important documents folder as soon as we got home.
Here’s what I put in mine:
Identification Documents
This includes your driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, and social security card.
You will probably have a driver’s license in your wallet.
If you don’t, now’s a good time to go ahead and do that.
As far as your birth certificate, passport, and social security card, make sure they are in a waterproof pocket of your evacuation folder (here’s the one I have.)
Going to the DMV is no fun, but trying to get replacements for your birth certificate, passport, and/or social security card is an absolute nightmare. Not only will it take a long time, but it could also get pretty expensive.
If you have kids or extended family members living with you and/or evacuating with you, make sure their documents are included and organized in the same place.
Remember: you are creating a centralized, secure location for all these documents to live so that you don’t have to worry about them when things get looney tunes right before a storm.
Getting the heavy-duty folder will make sure it’s safe when it’s living in your house, and it means you won’t have to do mental gymnastics while you’re trying to wrangle your family out the door ahead of a major storm.
If you want to learn the 5 easy steps to creating your own valid handwritten will in Louisiana, then sign up to receive the FREE step-by-step guide right now. You can download this freebie immediately and knock it out while on your Peloton later tonight.
2. Estate Planning Documents
This includes wills, trusts, powers of attorney, life insurance, mortgages, deeds, etc.
It’s important to keep these notarized legal documents safe and secure at all times.
Many of you with estate plans will know that you have digital versions of these documents either stored on the cloud or in your email.
This is great, keep those handy. In fact, if you haven’t put your eyes on those digital copies in more than a few months, then go ahead and get those in front of you before you go to bed tonight.
If you have these digital estate planning documents, then email them to yourself and a trusted loved one.
If you really want to cover your bases, download them all onto a single external hard drive (or thumb drive) and store them in your fireproof/waterproof folder as well.
As for the printed, notarized copy of your estate planning documents, treat those like you would a birth certificate or passport.
While replacing these documents would involve printing them off and getting them notarized again, it would still be nonetheless a pain in the butt.
What estate planning documents should I put in the hurricane folder?
Generally, folks looking to make an estate plan folder can count on needing some, if not all, of the following documents:
Last will and testament
Living trust
Beneficiary designations (included on your 401ks and similar accounts)
Financial power of attorney
Advance healthcare directive/healthcare power of attorney
Insurance policies (health, life, car, home, etc.)
Titles and property deeds (car, home, boat, rental property)
Proof of identity (social security card, prenup agreement, birth/marriage/divorce certificates, etc)
Digital logins and passwords (yes, all of them)
Use this list as general guidelines on what you might need for the worst-case scenario. Once or twice a year, go through and make any updates.
Since hurricane season starts tomorrow, June 1st, now is as good of a time as any to make any necessary updates to your estate planning evacuation folder.
If you’re looking to handwrite your own will, then sign up to get my free Will in a Weekend Worksheet instantly.
3. Medical Documents
This includes a list of medications, insurance cards, health care power of attorney, and living wills.
Because hurricanes have a tendency to show up whenever they want, it’s important to have updated information readily available, in case you need to seek healthcare in your evacuation destination.
Although most healthcare information can be accessed online, it is important to keep hard copies of these documents safe and secure in case you have to evacuate and stay away for a few weeks (or months).
And since most healthcare stuff can only be accessed online, go ahead and make sure you know your password, answers to your security questions, your policy number, and your insurance information.
If you’re a spreadsheet person, polish that baby off and make sure your info is up to date. Also, if you’re the spreadsheet one, I’m assuming your spouse is not - so go ahead and share that with them as well.
If you or your family have allergies or specific diagnoses, make sure that information is organized and accessible in the event you need to seek care from a new doctor or medical facility.
Plan Today for Peace of Mind Tomorrow
Let’s Talk About Pets
While your family mascot may not have their own estate plan or birth certificate, it’s important to account for the VIP of your family.
Here are some tips for keeping your pets hurricane ready as valued members of your family:
Make sure you have their medical records including medications, allergies, shots, and vet information included in your evacuation bundle.
Stock up on their food, especially during hurricane season. It might not be a bad idea to keep a little box in your car full of (sealed) pet food, waste bags, extra water, and other pet essentials.
Talk to your vet about getting extra medication in the event that you have to evacuate for longer than expected.
Make a list of hotels, motels, and other places in your evacuation area that are pet-friendly.
If you’re heading to loved ones for evacuation, make sure you give them a heads-up about your pet’s attendance.
If your pet gets haircuts, make sure they're groomed and ready for those hot hurricane days (especially if you lose power and don’t have battery-powered dog clippers).
Have a cat or dog who HATES the car? It might not be a bad idea to take a few practice runs in your evacuation vehicle to get them as prepared as possible for the stressful, and often longer than usual, trip to your evacuation destination.
It’s always a good time to plan for your family’s future.
Your hurricane evacuation plan can be as simple or as detailed as you need it to be.
As New Orleanians, we understand the risk of hurricane season.
We know what it’s like to have to stop everything to either hunker down or evacuate for the next storm.
No matter how many times you do it, it’s still extremely stressful. Especially if you have young children, elderly family members, and/or pets going through the storm or evacuation with you.
Remember, nothing can prepare you more for the inevitable than you can.
As a gift from your present self to your future self, take the time as hurricane season kicks off to do the following:
invest in a fireproof/waterproof document container.
designate a place for it to live (ideally an easily accessible place)
keep it organized and updated
make a plan that includes the entire family (pets, too) - so everyone knows what to do when the time comes.
When it comes to organizing your evacuation folder, be sure to include some or all of the following:
identification documents
estate planning documents
medical documents
pet-care documents
Happy Planning!
Take Care,
Addie
Are you ready to create an estate plan that’s right for you?
FAQ
Q: What should I do to prepare for hurricane season?
A: As a gift from your present self to your future self, take the time as hurricane season kicks off to do the following:
invest in a fireproof/waterproof document container.
designate a place for it to live (ideally an easily accessible place)
keep it organized and updated
make a plan that includes the entire family (pets, too) - so everyone knows what to do when the time comes.
Q: What should I include in an evacuation folder
A: When it comes to organizing your evacuation folder, first make sure it’s fireproof and waterproof. Here’s a good place to start your Amazon search.
Once you found the right folder, be sure to include some or all of the following:
identification documents
estate planning documents
medical documents
pet-care documents
If you’re looking for specific feedback on your situation, I highly recommend scheduling a 60-minute strategy session with me. You can find out more information and book yours here.
Q: What estate planning documents should I put in the hurricane folder?
A: Generally, folks looking to make an estate plan folder can count on needing some, if not all, of the following documents:
Last will and testament
Living trust
Beneficiary designations (included on your 401ks and similar accounts)
Financial power of attorney
Advance healthcare directive/healthcare power of attorney
Insurance policies (health, life, car, home, etc.)
Titles and property deeds (car, home, boat, rental property)
Proof of identity (social security card, prenup agreement, birth/marriage/divorce certificates, etc)
Digital logins and passwords (yes, all of them)
Use this list as general guidelines on what you might need for the worst-case scenario. Once or twice a year, go through and make any updates.
Since hurricane season starts tomorrow, June 1st, now is as good of a time as any to make any necessary updates to your estate planning evacuation folder.
Take a look behind the legal curtain.
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Take a deeper dive into Lousiana estate planning with more posts by Addie Prewitt Law:
It’s important to me to make Louisiana estate planning as simple as possible.
You can create a last will and testament, sign a power of attorney, and even write down your final wishes. But, if you don’t approach your estate plan with a big picture strategy, you might just miss the mark when it comes to creating the best estate plan for you and your family.
The first step of any estate plan is knowing you have to put one in place. So, since you’re here, you’ve already done the first (and probably the most important) step.