The Latest News and Views from Ascent Wealth Management

Hi Everyone, 

Welcome to 2020!

Now we're all getting back to normal after Christmas, thoughts turn to where this year will take us, personally, as families and as community.  Our country and many of its communities have been devastated by unprecedented  fires.  For many, these thoughts of the future have been thrown into chaos as homes, possessions and livelihoods have been destroyed.  It has been truly heartening to see the outpouring of support and the donations of time and money that have flown freely across the firegrounds.  Australians have come together for our communities in need.  The fires are an absolute tragedy, but the demonstration of love and support should give us hope for our society.  But now onto more mundane matters......

This month's newsletter starts with an update from ThreeSixty Research.  World markets had a strong finish to what was a bumper year for investment returns.  Australia's share market finished the calendar year up 24%, world markets were also up over 20%.  Thee's plenty out there to consider; with the easing of the Chinese trade tensions, we've had a flare of activity in the middle east.  Our first article explores these developments in greater detail.

Quite often in life, we are held back by our own negative thoughts.  Unfortunately this also applies in matters of money and financial affairs.  My next article explores some ways to avoid the negative in your pursuit of better financial circumstances.  Keeping your "eyes on the prize" and avoiding the detours are the habits of many successful people, and advice worth heeding!

The rise of social media continues, seemingly unabated.  While there are many advantages of this flexible communication medium, there is a hidden threat; one that can potentally impact our sense of self and emotional well being.  Too often, we find ourselves tempted to "benchmark" our achievements and lives on what our so- called "friends" promote on their social media profiles.  Quite often though, what is presented online is a perfect representation of a fractured reality.  My next article warns not to fall into the "keeping up with the Jones'" trap.  Perfection is a well rounded life, and social media has the potential to stunt your progress toward this, if taken too seriously.

As we begin a new year, many conversations start about the "big" issues.  Resolutions are made and plans sit waiting to be turned into reality.  Retirement is one issue the workers among us may put off thinking about due to it seeming to be "so far away".  My next article discusses why we need to make this question a priority.  A new year is the perfect catalyst to give these plans much firmer foundations.  

Lastly, the movement to do all we can to help the enviornment continues to grow in strength.  The tragedy of the recent fires, and spectre of this disaster being replaced by floods in some of the very same areas, demonstrates that we all need to do what we can to be envronmentally aware and help save the planet.  Personally, there are also financial benefits in "going green".  My next article explores the impacts we can all make, and how we can benefit from "doing good".

We hope you enjoy this month's News and Views.  2020 is shaping to be a big year in many ways.  We are now underway !

Steve and Katrina