Taking measures to avoid or prepare for a disaster in advance — called "mitigation" in technical terms — reduces the likelihood of injury, loss of life, and property damage far more than anything you can do after a disaster strikes. Part of disaster planning should include financial planning, which is why this Web site was written. In this Web site, you will find suggestions on steps you can take now to:

• Protect your family’s health, life, and property with adequate insurance.
• Consider disaster vulnerability and mitigation before making decisions about
  relocating and making major purchases
• Pay for a mitigation project.
• Plan financially for the possibility of a job loss or disability.
• Safeguard your important financial and legal records.
• Prepare your loved ones to weather a disaster even if you are not there to care
  for them.

While this Web site may not answer all your questions, it will answer many of them and, we hope, enable you and your family to avoid a financial crisis if you ever experience a disaster.

Disasters and Financial Planning: A Guide for Preparedness is offered to you as a public service of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), AICPA Foundation, the American Red Cross, and the National Endowment for Financial Education® (NEFE®).

As you prepare for the possibility of a disaster, use this Web site for answers to financial questions you may have. You may not be able to do everything that is suggested — that’s OK. Do what you can. Taking even some basic precautions will go a long way toward protecting you financially from a disaster.

For anyone who has experienced a disaster, a booklet called Disaster Recovery: A Guide to Financial Issues also is available. You can get a copy of the book from the AICPA, state CPA societies, and any local Red Cross chapter in the United States. It is also available on the Web at www.redcross.org.