In 2011, the CDC published an official guide to surviving the zombie apocalypse.

Yep. Flesh-eating zombies and everything.

It was a clever way to get people thinking about emergency preparedness without leading with the usual hurricanes, floods and other things we'd all rather not think about.

And their advice was pretty solid:

Keep emergency supplies on hand.

Know your evacuation route.

Pick a meeting place for your family.

Have a plan before you need it.

I respect this approach. And as it happens, I have my own version of the Zombie Apocalypse.

Mine involves fewer hungry corpses and considerably more Texas Estates Code.

Because if you die without a will, Texas already has one for you. And you don’t get a say in what’s in it.

For blended families, that can get ugly fast.

I walk through all the gory details in this video, but for today, let’s stick with survival. As it happens, the CDC and I actually agree on quite a bit.

Know what you have.

You don’t need an underground bunker full of canned beans. But someone should know what you own and where to find the important information.

Know where things are going.

Decide what you want to happen to your stuff instead of letting Texas decide for you.

And don’t wait until the zombies are at the door.

Planning works a whole lot better before there’s an emergency.

So this weekend, check the batteries in the flashlight. Stock up on water. Figure out your zombie escape route.

And maybe take a look at your estate plan while you’re at it.

Happy Halloween,

—Robert

P.S. If you’d rather not leave your family to battle the Zombie Apocalypse, schedule a time to talk with me here.