Financial planning a vital part of readiness

Along with the bottled water, food, tools, and flashlights, there is something else you’ll need this hurricane season — financial planning.

Many banks and financial institutions can offer advice on how to get through the season with your bank account undamaged.

Tim Still, communications manager for the Midsouth Region of the Wachovia Corp. in Charlotte, has issued a plan to help people prepare financially before and after a hurricane sweeps past the coastal area.

Here are some of the tips:

Safe deposit boxes are a good way to protect valuable items such as mortgage information, homeowner and life insurance polices, birth and death certificates, wills, loan records, social security cards, bank statements and checkbooks. Don’t forget your key should you evacuate.

If you don’t have a safety deposit box, prepare a watertight box that has the above information and can be taken with you should you evacuate.

Make sure to get cash, as ATMs and banks can’t operate without electricity. Also, stores that are open may not have the ability to use debit or credit cards with computer systems being down.

Have a list of important phone numbers for relatives, bank and insurance company and place in a watertight box. If you evacuate, make sure to take the numbers.

Business owners should make sure to secure all checkbooks, payroll, accounting and insurance information as well as have an up-to-date inventory in case it’s needed for insurance purposes.

Francine Sawyer can be reached at (252) 635-5671 or at fsawyer@freedomenc.com.