Traveling can be an exciting and eye-opening experience! With thrill and anticipation on the horizon, it’s easy to get wrapped up in planning your excursions and adventures. However, it’s important that you don’t forget about security and safety planning. Below are some travel safety tips you should consider next time you take a big trip:

1. Do your research
It is important that you get to know your destination before you arrive. Your research should tell you about the best restaurants to try as well as the safest neighborhoods to stay in. The State Department’s website can be a helpful tool to help you learn about your destination, as it provides country-specific information, travel alerts, and travel warnings. Some details you can find are the location of the U.S. embassy and any consular offices, whether you need a visa, crime and security information, health and medical considerations, drug penalties, localized hot spots, and more. You may also consider enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which is a free service that allows U.S. citizens and nationals who travel and/or live abroad to enroll their trip location(s) with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

2. Make copies of important documents
Keep copies of important documents in case you lose the originals and someone needs proof of identification. Carry a photocopy of your passport and driver license with you and keep the originals locked up in a secure location while traveling.

3. Notify your brokerage services and banks
To ensure you have access to your accounts while traveling, set up a travel notice on your accounts. Most major banks allow you to do this through their online platform, but you can also call or visit a branch. In addition to notifying your brokerage services and banks, you should let your trusted advisors, such as your financial planner, CPA, and lawyers, know when you’ll be out of town.

4. Keep close family and friends updated
It is always a good idea to let your trusted friends and family know what your plans are. Before you leave, send a copy of your itinerary to a few trusted people. Check in with them regularly to let them know you are safe.

While it is important to let close family and friends know where you are, you may want to wait on updating your social media. If all of your Facebook friends and Instagram followers know you are on vacation, they also know you aren’t at home. The fewer people who know your home is empty, the better.

5. Be wary of public Wi-Fi
Free internet access can be easy and convenient, but unfortunately, it’s also easy and convenient for hackers. Hackers may be looking to access your personal data when you join a public Wi-Fi network, so you should be careful about what you access. You may also consider setting up a virtual private network (VPN) that allows you to access the internet securely.

Following these five travel safety tips may help you plan safe and more relaxing trips. Regardless of how many precautions you take, you never know when something unexpected will happen, which is why we also suggest travel insurance. Happy vacationing to you and yours!

Important Disclosure Information: The information contained within this blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations. Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Schultz Financial Group Incorporated), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this blog will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this blog serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Schultz Financial Group Incorporated. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. Schultz Financial Group Incorporated is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the blog content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the Schultz Financial Group Incorporated’s current written disclosure statement discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request. Please Note: Schultz Financial Group Incorporated does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to Schultz Financial Group Incorporated’s web site or incorporated herein, and takes no responsibility therefore. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly.