Our Investment Process and Operations DURING COVID-19
WorthWhile Wealth Council will continue to function in all operations and through our normal investment processes as we have for the past 15 years using your qualified account custodian, TD Ameritrade and your other familiar platforms. Our team is continuing to meet daily reviewing in a pre-pandemic set of account priorities. Our processes have all continued without any issues as we fully expect them to going forward. From a client perspective, our job in this environment was cast from the inception in opening your account(s). That is to create portfolios that help to significantly minimize volatility in extreme circumstances to which the markets have always been susceptible and for which we have lots of experience. So far, we believe your portfolios have fared as expected in the defensive approach that has served us and our clients well before.
Please keep in mind that all periods of extreme volatility, while generated by different factors, carry the same sense of “never been here before” feelings. That’s the nature of the kind of uncertainty required to create this kind of volatility in the market. As of this moment, client accounts under the most extreme pressure due to ongoing or immediate cash needs, are looking very good, some with many months of liquidity into the future. These are sample situations representative of those accounts naturally demanding our greatest attention and for which we are abundantly prepared. This is not a uniform description of every account since each is different with very different personal factors of client circumstances and needs. We think it’s very useful to share our view of these priorities for those of you in less immediately demanding circumstances. That is to say, there is plenty of liquidity for expected cash needs in these, our most stressed accounts.
We work to mitigate this volatility by using the tools built into every account and the assumption that anyone could need cash from their accounts at that worst possible time. It’s this defensive strategy that has moved us through this kind of environment in past situations, some of which lasted between two and three years.
When the market turns, we are confident your accounts will not only have weathered this, but will come out with your allocations well positioned to reap the benefits of the expected rapid recovery. We continue to believe the opportunity to see potentially substantial returns over a relatively short period exists. In the meantime, we are also seeing gains in short and intermediate treasuries generated by the flight to safety also characteristic of this kind of chaos.
BUSINESS CONTINUITY
As we continue to keep a close eye on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the United States, we are taking proactive steps to help ensure our safety and that of our employees and to maintain security and work continuity for you. As you know, our thoughts are also with those of you most severely and directly impacted across all aspects of your lives.
In light of recent developments of the COVID-19, WorthWhile Wealth Council continues to review its operations and business continuity plans to remain fully functional and prepared for remote functioning for all investment processes, staff and services.
No impact is expected on electronic communications like emails, account management and client support, as usual.
Here are key preventive measures we are taking:
1. Reviewing our Business Continuity Plan with key employees;
2. Verifying key employees have access to and have tested remote access capabilities;
3. Contacting custodians, service providers and key parties about their business continuity efforts and programs;
4. Following guidance of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention and the World Health Organization (WHO) policies. We will continue to monitor the changing landscape and provide updates as we feel may be helpful appropriate. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.