September Is National Preparedness Month: Is Your Iowa Family's Legal Plan Ready?

Every September, National Preparedness Month reminds Americans to check the smoke detectors, restock the emergency kit, and make sure everyone knows the evacuation plan. It's worth adding one more item to that list: your legal preparedness. A flood, a house fire, a car accident, or a sudden illness doesn't wait for a convenient time — and the families who weather it best are usually the ones who did a little paperwork ahead of time.
 
What National Preparedness Month Actually Covers
 
National Preparedness Month is a nationwide campaign, organized around the idea that a little planning now prevents a lot of chaos later. Most of the advice focuses on physical readiness — water, food, a battery-powered radio, a plan for where to meet if you're separated. Iowa families know this drill well, especially with severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes a regular part of life here.
 
But physical preparedness only answers half the question. If something happens to you — not just your home — does your family know what to do? That's where legal preparedness comes in, and it's the half most people skip.
 
The Legal "Emergency Kit" Most Families Don't Have
 
Think of these documents as the legal version of a flashlight and a first-aid kit — you hope you never need them, but you're glad they're there when you do.
 
A financial power of attorney lets someone you trust step in and manage your bills, bank accounts, and property if you're incapacitated, even temporarily. Without one, your family may need to go to court just to pay your mortgage while you recover.
 
A healthcare power of attorney and living will name who can make medical decisions for you and spell out your wishes about treatment, so your family isn't left guessing during an emergency room crisis.
 
A will names an executor to handle your affairs and, if you have minor children, names a guardian to raise them. Under Iowa law, without a will, a court — not you — decides who steps into that role.
 
  Where the "Kit" Falls Apart: Nobody Can Find It
 
Here's the uncomfortable truth: a lot of families who have these documents still aren't prepared, because nobody besides the person who signed them knows where they are. In an actual emergency, that's just as bad as not having them at all.
 
Preparedness Month is a good excuse to fix that. Tell at least one trusted person — a spouse, adult child, or sibling — exactly where your original documents are kept, and give your attorney's contact information to that same person. If your documents live in a safe deposit box, make sure someone else has access; a box that only you can open isn't much help if you're the one who's unreachable.
 
A Quick Legal Preparedness Check
 
Before the month is over, walk through this list the same way you'd check your emergency kit:
 
- Do you have a financial power of attorney naming someone you trust?
- Do you have a healthcare power of attorney and living will?
- Do you have a current will, with a guardian named for any minor children?
- Does at least one other person know where your originals are kept?
- Has anything changed in your life — a move, a marriage, a new child — since you signed these documents?
 
If you're missing an item, that's not a failure — it's just this month's to-do.
 
What This Means for You
 
Physical preparedness and legal preparedness solve the same problem from two different angles: making sure your family isn't left scrambling when something unexpected happens. You've likely already thought about the flashlight and the go-bag. This September is a good time to think about the paperwork, too.
 
Let's Get Your Family Prepared
 
At Smith Law Firm in Ames, we help central Iowa families put together the legal side of an emergency plan — clearly, affordably, and usually faster than you'd expect. If you don't have these documents yet, or you're not sure where they are, let's fix that this month. Visit www.shawnsmithlaw.com, call our office at (515) 451-1260, or text 515-349-5684 to schedule a consultation.
 
*This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, please consult a licensed Iowa attorney.*