Copy
View this email in your browser

February update: news, opinion and comment for your financial wellbeing 

In this issue:

Why planning for your financial future makes sense for your mental health

You're probably fed-up hearing about wellbeing and mental health by now.

The last 12 months has seen a surge in mental health problems related to the pandemic which are having a terrible effect on those concerned. 

And with money worries and poor mental health going hand-in-hand (48% of people with money worries have poor mental health, according to the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute) it would only be reasonable to assume that money worries caused by the uneven effect lockdown has had on the nation's personal finances have been at the root of a lot of those problems.

But it’s not only whether you think you have enough for now that affects your wellbeing, but whether you feel confident about the future and able to withstand what the experts believe will be the next inevitable pandemic. 60% of the UK population don't feel in control of the financial side of their lives, according to the government's Financial Capability Strategy.

Hopefully the powers that be will have better plans in place for the next time. But there's no time like the present to make sure your portfolio is robust enough to cope with the unexpected. 

If you'd like a financial health check, get in touch and we'll be happy to oblige. In the meantime, take a look at our latest blog for more about planning for financial peace of mind. 

GameStop: were you tempted? 

You can be honest with us - we won't tell.

Were you one of the many individuals around the world who threw caution to the wind, forgot their long-held investing principles and took a bet on GameStop, the most recent craze to hit the mad world of stock market roulette?

Things have calmed down now, but the chart below, showing the company's share price over the last 12 months, reveals just how small the window of opportunity was to make serious money out of this 21st century Tulip Mania
One firm that did manage it was hedge fund Senvest, reported by Forbes to have made $700 million by entering and exiting GameStop at just the right time. 

For evidence-based investors, Senvest's success is the exception that proves the rule, The price plunged at the start of February and countless small investors lost their stake

We assume few of our long-time followers were among those gambling on GameStop. But if you were tempted, our blog on the subject explains why the whole thing was about as far from serious investing as you can get

Shareholder protection

If you're a business owner, do you ever ask yourself what could happen if a fellow shareholder dies? 

A business continuity plan is vital if remaining shareholders want to ensure the business remains in their control after the death of a major shareholder, as Karen Long, client director of Aston Lark Employee Benefits, explains. 

"Imagine a company has four shareholding directors, one of whom dies suddenly. The deceased’s shares pass to his three children. The surviving shareholders do not have the funds available to buy the shares from the children and, as a result, the business has no other option but to accept the three children as shareholders of the business.

"Life assurance arranged on the life of each of the original four shareholders may have provided the surviving three shareholders with enough funds to fully purchase the shares from the children. This would have ensured they could have retained complete control of the business.

If you'd like to know more about shareholder protection for your business, just get in touch.  

Meet the team behind the scenes

Oak Four is a small and perfectly formed financial planning consultancy, which is how we like it. Although you'll have met Kevin and Andy, back in the days when face to face meeting was allowed, we work with a number of associates who provide specialist input and advice where required. We thought you'd like to know who they are.
Heather Bridgman, executive assistant
Heather has provided executive, business development, back-office and HR support within small, medium and large organisations across the UK, supporting VPs, CEOs, MDs and executive teams. Today she works as a Virtual Assistant and keeps Kevin organised.
Gemma Dennis, admin support
Gemma has worked in the Financial Services industry since 1998 in a number of different support roles including PA, Paraplanning, Office Management and Administration. She works closely with Andy to ensure all administration is handled efficiently and effectively. 
Alyson Brooker, technical support
Law graduate Alyson is a chartered financial planner with ten years' experience, and supports Oak Four from a technical perspective, specifically with trusts, estate planning and general tax planning. She particularly likes delivering elegant solutions to potentially complicated problems.
Gemma Chambers: compliance support
With almost 20 years in the financial services industry to her credit, Gemma provides compliance support to the firm to ensure we are ahead of the curve when it comes to the many regulatory changes that take place.
Mary Whitehouse, marketing support
Mary is a copywriter and PR with more than 30 years' experience and has worked with wealth management and financial adviser firms for over a decade. She helps write Oak Four's newsletters, website and other marketing materials.

Captain Sir Tom Moore: a tribute

Like everyone else, we at Oak Four were humbled by the incredible fundraising efforts of Captain Sir Tom Moore. His legacy will be felt for generations to come. We'd like to pay our respects and offer our condolences to his family.
Follow us Follow us
Like us Like us
Visit us Visit us
Email us Email us
Copyright © 2021 Oak Four Limited, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp