Q2- 2022 Newsletter

Announcements

Dear Clients and Friends,

As we approach our 9th year in business and with markets as unpredictable as ever, I want to thank you for the opportunity you’ve provided us to partner with you in planning your financial futures. I want to take this mid-year newsletter to provide you with some updates on what we’re doing to support you as well as personal news.

Ashley Murphy

Founder, Principal

Areté Wealth Strategists

Investments in our Client Experience

We were pleased to welcome Amy Venegas in March as our Client Services Associate / Office Manager but the investments in enhancing our client experience continue. This quarter we onboarded three new programs to better help clients including:

• Income Solver: The #1 Retirement Income Platform to help provide the most granular level of detail to client’s in the decumulation phase.
• i65: to provide medicare planning guidance, and
• FpAlpha, a program that provides detailed tax, estate planning and insurance recommendation

‍Kellen and Jessica are expecting... any minute now!

• Kellen and Jessica are expecting their first child July 25th, but if the birth experience of either parent are anything to go by, their son might be coming any moment now. Kellen will be taking fully paid paternity leave for the rest of the quarter to help his family adjust.

• This is the first full quarter with Kellen working an an Associate wealth advisor. Upon returning from paternity leave, he will be progressing to be the lead advisor in a number of client relationships.

• Ashley and family moved to the U.S. in early May to catch up on conferences and business back in the U.S. They will be returning to Australia at the end of July.

Tour de Brisbane

• Ashley finished in the top 20% in the Tour De Brisbane in early April. He therefore qualified to enter the UCI Grand Fondo World Championships in Italy (which he doesn’t plan on entering).

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Market Summary

The bad news in the investment markets continues.  U.S. stocks entered true bear market territory in the middle of the second quarter, and finished with the worst first six months' return since 1970.  Meanwhile, bond rates rose, causing bond investors to suffer paper losses as well.

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Domestic Content

Unusual Downturn

A recession is a period of time when the economy stops its usual long-term growth pattern and starts shrinking.  The technical definition is a drop in the value of goods and services produced (the gross domestic product) for two consecutive quarters.  This is often associated with declining incomes, employment, industrial production and retail sales.

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Intangible Value

We are often told that the value of something is nothing, more or less, than what someone is willing to pay for it.

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International Content

Inflation Across the World

The inflation rate, which was moderate for so long, is now back in the news—and the news isn’t good.  The U.S. Consumer Price Index—the cost of a basket of items that are included in most monthly budgets—rose by 8.6% over the 12 months ending in May, while the so-called ‘personal consumption index’ (another measure of inflation) rose 6.3% over the same time period.

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Will I get Social Security
as a returned Aussie?

You're an Australian citizen who has lived and worked in the United States for years. You've paid into Social Security the entire time. But what happens to your benefits when you decide to move back to Australia?

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USD hits multiple highs
against major currencies

Demand for the US dollar reached a 20-year high this week with the US Federal Reserve expected to hike interest rates at a more aggressive pace.

Read More Here

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Please let me know if we might be of assistance.

Have a wonderful rest of your day,

‍Ashley Murphy, GFP (USA/AUS) CFP® AIF®

Areté Wealth Strategists, LLC.