Don't Mess With Taxes

The unofficial start of summer 2016 is decidedly soggy.

Click image for ideas on how to deal with a rainy day in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Here in Texas, we're still dealing with literally flooding rains. Tragically, the excessive precipitation has been deadly.

Meanwhile, the Carolinas are coping with the second storm of the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane season. Y'all remember the unusual subtropical Alex, which hit The Azores, a group of islands about 900 miles west of Portugal, on Jan. 15. That gave the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season a rare January start.

Unwelcome holiday weekend guest: Bonnie is keeping the current tropical storm season's apparent quicker pace set by Alex.

Days before the official June 1 kickoff of hurricane season, Bonnie is bothering the United States' eastern seaboard.

The National Hurricane Center named Tropical Storm Bonnie on Saturday, May 28 evening, but the system weakened to a tropical depression by the time it made landfall Sunday, May 29, morning in South Carolina. (Graphic courtesy The Weather Channel)

Bonnie's remnants are expected to produce rain all the way up to Massachusetts through next week.

If Alex didn't get all y'all who are in potential hurricane territory to prepare, Bonnie should.

Storm prep and tax tips: You can find plenty of tips for getting reading for tropical storms -- or any of the many types of disasters that Mother Nature throws at us year round -- on the ol' blog's special Natural Disasters Resources page.

I generally focus on the financial and tax aspects of storm preparation. Today, though, let me offer a couple of quick physical preparation tips that the hubby and I have learned from our South Florida hurricane experiences, as well as here in Central Texas where the power seems to go out any time rain arrives.

Keep all your devices fully charged. You'll be glad you can call and/or hotspot out to the rest of world after hours of sitting in the dark.

Put on sneakers. While flip-flops are comfortable, if you have to walk through debris -- or worse, debris under water -- you'll want the protection.

Make sure you have some extra clothes handy. No electricity means no air conditioning. And a dry cotton T-shirt sure is welcome after a few hot and humid hours. Plus, your family and friends will appreciate it!

Have water in all forms. Everyone knows to stock up on bottled water to drink. Also freeze some water. These containers will help keep items in your freezer from spoiling, at least for a while longer, when power is out. Or you can move them and perishable items from the refrigerator to your cooler. And they're added (and cool!) drinking water when they thaw.

Picking up the pieces: As for after the storm, the special disasters' page has lots of info on recovering from a disaster, including the special tax options available to those in major, presidentially-declared disaster areas.

There's even info on how folks who are spared Mother Nature's wrath can help those who aren't so lucky.

I hope you don't need any of the tips, tax or otherwise, but it's always good to be prepared.

And if the Memorial Day weekend weather is great where you are, we're jealous! At least have some extra fun for all of us stuck in soggier situations.