"Focus on your family," says Justin Crichlow, a Merrill advisor who lost his rental home in the Pacific Palisades. His wife was pregnant at the time and running two businesses from the area. "Possessions are replaceable at the end of the day." That perspective came into sharp focus for Justin when health scares put the disaster in context. But once immediate safety is secured, practical financial steps need to happen quickly.

Your immediate priorities:

The early weeks after a disaster bring a strange mix of urgency and numbness. Nadia Allaudin, a Merrill advisor who lost her home, describes the emotional state bluntly: "You're literally that out of touch. You were in shock."

She left for work one morning and never went home again. While dealing with her own loss, clients were calling about their destroyed homes. "It took everything I had," she says. But through that experience, she learned what people actually need in those critical first weeks.

Both advisors saw clients make decisions in crisis mode that they later regretted. Here's how to avoid some common pitfalls:

Once the immediate crisis stabilizes, you can start thinking about longer-term financial recovery.

Create a recovery budget. Look at your temporary housing costs, ongoing living expenses and anticipated rebuild or relocation costs. If insurance proceeds won't cover everything, you'll need a plan for managing the gap.

Your advisor can help you understand your options. Justin worked with clients to look at their entire balance sheet: "Where else could you get a loan if needed? We helped clients evaluate all the assets at their disposal to figure out what could be used to get the lowest financing rate possible."

Begin rebuilding savings and catching up on payments. Once you have a clearer picture of your financial situation, start working toward restoring your normal financial routines. This includes replenishing your savings and catching up on any bills or payments that were deferred during the crisis.

Rebuild your emergency fund. Once insurance proceeds arrive and you're settled in temporary housing, start replenishing your cash reserves. Experiencing a disaster can show you exactly why emergency funds matter.

Get access to liquidity. Lines of credit, like a securities-based loan, offer a simple way to generate liquidity when you need it. While you're rebuilding your cash reserves, having access to credit can provide an additional safety net for unexpected expenses.

Reassess your insurance coverage. Many people discovered they were underinsured only after disaster hit. Review your coverage on all properties and consider whether you need to increase replacement cost estimates or add specific disaster coverage.

Both advisors emphasized that financial recovery isn't just about money. It's about having support.

"The outpouring from clients was incredible," Nadia says. "My clients cried more than I did." That support system, whether from an advisor, family, friends or community, makes the practical work of recovery possible.

Your financial advisor can help you:

• Access funds quickly when you need them
• Understand your options for financing a rebuild or new purchase
• Coordinate with other professionals like attorneys, tax advisors and insurance adjusters
• Make decisions when you're not thinking clearly
• Simply be present during an impossibly difficult time

Beyond your financial advisor, you'll need a team of professionals to navigate the full recovery process. Your insurance agent can guide you through claims and coverage questions. Your mortgage provider can explain forbearance and relief options. A real estate agent can help you find temporary or permanent housing. Your tax advisor can help you understand casualty loss deductions and tax implications. An attorney can assist with estate planning issues or property disputes. Don't hesitate to reach out to each of these professionals for support in their areas of expertise.

"The hardest part is that the world's moved on, and we're still suffering," Nadia reflects months later. Financial recovery takes time. The insurance process is slow. Rebuilding takes longer than anyone expects. Finding permanent housing in a tight market is frustrating. Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. Focus on your family's immediate needs first, then take the financial steps one at a time.

If you've been impacted by a natural disaster, there are people and resources that can help — you don't have to navigate this alone.  Reach out to your Merrill advisor to discuss your specific situation. If you don't have an advisor, we can connect you with someone who understands what you're going through and can help you take the next steps.

You can also download our disaster recovery financial checklist for a step-by-step guide you can reference as you navigate your recovery. This checklist breaks down the essential actions to take in the first days, weeks and months after a disaster.