National Preparedness Month: Turning “What if?” Into “We’re Ready”
Preparedness is love, operationalized. Flowers are nice—clarity is better. This September, as FEMA spotlights National Preparedness Month under the theme “Preparedness Starts at Home,” it’s the perfect moment for organizations to help families protect what matters most.
For FEMA, preparedness comes down to four simple actions: know your risks, make a family plan, build a kit, and get involved. But there’s one gap often overlooked: estate planning.
Only 24% of Americans have a will in 2025. That means most families are unprepared for not just natural disasters but also life’s personal emergencies—unexpected illness, incapacity, or loss. Estate planning closes that gap with clarity, decision-making power, and secure access to essentials.
From FEMA’s Actions to Real Family Outcomes
Know your risks → Centralize the essentials Store IDs, insurance cards, deeds, policy numbers, emergency contacts, and “If I’m unreachable” instructions in the GoodTrust Digital Vault so families and responders can find what they need—fast. Pair with your local hazard list.
Make a family plan → Name decision-makers Create Healthcare Directives and Financial Powers of Attorney so the right person can act during a crisis. Share the appropriate documents with your trusted contacts through the Digital Vault.
Build a kit → Add documents to it Alongside food and water, families can prepare an “In Case of Emergency (ICE)” sheet with medical details, directives, and key contacts—backed up in the Vault for anytime access.
Get involved → Normalize preparedness at work Employers, insurers, banks, and healthcare partners can turn awareness month into an engagement moment—making planning simple, modern, and scalable.
Why GoodTrust Is Different
Traditional estate planning can feel overwhelming, expensive, and out of reach. GoodTrust changes that with:
Will + Trust included (because paying extra for a trust is so 1999).
Directives covered: healthcare, financial, pet, and funeral wishes.
Digital Vault: secure, shareable, and built for emergencies.
Family Plan: add up to 4 family members at no extra cost.
The result: one modern, always-current flow that turns confusion into confidence.
Partner Value Across Verticals
Every sector has a role to play in preparedness. GoodTrust integrates seamlessly into existing benefits and customer offerings:
Employers & Benefits → Reduce stress for employees, improve retention, and demonstrate care beyond the workplace.
Insurance Providers → Pair life insurance with a complete plan to boost value and reduce lapse risk.
Banks & Credit Unions → Strengthen customer loyalty by combining financial security with estate planning clarity.
Healthcare & Caregiving → Ease ER stress with clear healthcare proxies and ensure caregivers have secure access to essential information.
Membership Organizations & Community Groups → Offer members lasting value with simple tools for legacy planning and family readiness.
How to Take Action This September
Start with education: Share FEMA’s four steps and show how estate planning multiplies the impact.
Offer a pathway: Give employees, customers, or members access to GoodTrust’s complete plan.
Make it visible: Promote preparedness month with webinars, checklists, or digital prompts that connect awareness to action.
Measure the impact: Track engagement, beneficiary updates, and employee/member confidence in emergencies.
Wrap-Up
Life is unpredictable. But planning doesn’t have to be. This September, turn National Preparedness Month into a moment of lasting value. With GoodTrust, you can give your employees, customers, and members a complete plan—wills, trusts, directives, and a secure Digital Vault—that transforms “what if?” into “we’re ready.”