As we navigate through uncertain times, one phrase that has stood the test of time is "never fight the Fed". This adage is a reminder that the Federal Reserve holds significant power over the direction of the economy and the markets. Its decisions can have a ripple effect across industries, asset classes, and global markets. Understanding the Fed's role and its impact on the economy and markets is crucial for investors and traders alike. Nevertheless, it seems like in 2023 investors have completely thrown this saying out the window. Investors have been optimistic this year despite the Federal Reserve's decision to raise interest rates, believing that the rate-raising cycle may be over and we’re in for a soft-landing. The Nasdaq stock market is up nearly 15% this year, after posting its best January since 2001. While some believe that this is the beginning of a new bull market, we are of the opinion that this is just another bear market rally and that we will continue to experience ongoing market volatility for the time being.

Understanding the legal and regulatory environment surrounding offshore investing, including the reporting requirements and potential benefits, is essential. This week's blog is a summary guide to help Americans understand the legal framework and reporting requirements of offshore investment accounts. It will also discuss the main reasons to invest offshore as an American. Investing offshore can be a valuable part of a diversified investment strategy when building a portfolio fit for the global economic environment. It is our goal to inform you of all the considerations you need to consider when moving outside your domestic markets when establishing an offshore investment account.

On this episode of the podcast, the WHVP team sits down to discuss going beyond performance in terms of client care. The podcast will cover a bit of the Swiss perspective of the World Economic Forum and then will jump into the team discussing the importance of client communication and care. We hope you enjoy it.

Diversification is a topic that often comes up when investing. However, for Americans attaining true portfolio diversification can take time and effort. However, some good options are available to Americans when looking to invest outside of the U.S. investment market, dollar, and economy. This blog will cover the challenges Americans face in building a truly diversified portfolio and what they can do to overcome them.

January is the time to look ahead to the year. Sadly, way too much depends on the Federal Reserve and world central banks. Michael Howell writes: “It has been a bleak year for many investors. Global investors have lost $23tn of wealth…so far in 2022. …. That is equivalent to 22 percent of global gross domestic product” When bureaucrats create money out of thin air, they create a mess. Alasdair Macleod tells us: “Monetary policymakers face an acute dilemma: do they prioritize inflation of prices by raising interest rates, or do they lean towards yet more monetary stimulation to ensure that financial markets stabilize, their economies do not suffer a recession, and government finances are not driven into crisis? …. The inconvenient truth is that policies of monetary stimulation invariably end with the impoverishment of everyone.”

Thinking about moving investments offshore is a big decision. It takes time and effort to conduct the due diligence needed to find the right partner and set up an offshore investment account. However, the strategic move can offer many positive qualities to an investment portfolio. So, is it worth making a move for the opportunities, risk mitigation, time, and effort to gain the benefits of capital preservation, risk mitigation, asset protection, and true diversification?

We hope you had a wonderful start to 2023! The beginning of a new year is always a great opportunity to look ahead and share our assessment of what to expect in the next twelve months. Before we do that, however, we would like to look back with a quick look at the most meaningful charts of 2022.

We would like to take the opportunity to reflect on an eventful year for WHVP and tell you about some of the things we are excited about. We are looking forward to starting the next chapter in 2023 and are grateful that you are all part of our journey.

An impending recession, markets are continuing to fall, and the steady stream of news that companies are making job cuts. The news continues to look bleak, and with the recent stream of news, the economy and markets continue in the cycle of squeezing those participating in them. But there is hope for people looking to learn about what the job cuts can mean for the economy, investment market, and their portfolio, and steps they can take in protecting their wealth.

There has been a momentous meeting between China and the OPEC nations. Our blog will cover the happenings of the event and how they may affect Americans and their wealth. It will be important to learn about what to expect looking forward as you seek to protect the value of your hard-earned U.S. dollars.

For international day of banks, we wanted to talk about what Swiss private banks offer Americans in terms of safety and privacy for their personal wealth information. The reality is that Swiss bank accounts are 100% legal for Americans to hold financial assets in, and there are some incredible perks that come with having a Swiss investment account as an American. The two benefits we will be focusing on today are safety and privacy.

In this interview, Managing Partner and CEO Jamie Vrijhof-Droese will share what it has been like taking over a business as the second generation and some insight into what she does at WHVP. Those reading this interview will get an inside look into Swiss asset management and get to know Jamie professionally and personally.

It is crucial to understand how things work for any administrative process, especially when it comes to setting up an offshore investment account as an American. This blog will cover the due diligence needed to find the right Swiss independent asset manager for your situation. It will also cover the documents required to start the process and the paperwork that can be expected when establishing a private offshore investment account.

Earlier this month the FED held its latest press meeting where another interest rate hike of 0.75% was announced. This was the fourth consecutive rate hike. During the press conference, a reporter asked about the expected positive reaction from the stock market to the announcement (it turned out after the conference the stock market has not reacted positively to the rate hike news at all) and Powell replied: “…We have a ways to go. And the last thing I'll say is that I would want people to understand our commitment to getting this done. And to not making the mistake of not doing enough or the mistake of withdrawing our strong policy and doing that too soon….”. This statement led most market participants to conclude that the FED is going to continue tightening for quite some more time. Consequently, while we do already asses the current situation as a technical recession, we do expect that in 2023 a formal U.S. recession will be announced and generally accepted.

It is crucial for our clients to understand U.S. reporting and tax requirements in regard to an offshore bank account. While having a bank account overseas is absolutely legal, it is important to set the structure up in a compliant way and to report it properly. Our blog will cover the reporting requirements that apply to Americans with investment accounts held in offshore accounts.

One of the questions we get asked by prospective clients seeking offshore investment diversification through us as an independent asset management firm is: "How do you determine which custodian banks to work with?" The answer to this question is quite complex, so we will use this blog to give insight into how we determine where to begin our search for top-level private banks. We will briefly cover why we find Switzerland and Liechtenstein to be premiere economic environments for finding the right custodian bank for our clients.

In this interview, Managing Partner and COO Julia Fernandez will share what it has been like for her working in the Swiss financial service industry for over thirty years. Those reading this interview will get an inside look into Swiss asset management and get to know Julia better, both professionally and personally. She will share how she transitioned from private banking to working in asset management and how the Swiss financial service industry has evolved over her career. She will also discuss what it has been like going through a business succession from one generation to the next.

With a recession looming over the U.S. economy and high market volatility, investors can be left scratching their heads on how to proceed with their investment activities. Moreover, once the recession does hit the U.S., more fear could seize the markets. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what can be done when planning to invest during a recession. The blog post will cover how U.S. Investors can act in times of economic turmoil and find the right partners to help them find the right opportunities and manage their emotions.

In this blog, we will describe the impact the metaverse may have on the financial world and asset managers. The metaverse is an exciting topic due to recent trends and developments in technology, pandemic restrictions, and the evolution of cryptocurrencies. In addition, working remotely and connecting with loved ones became difficult for many, but the metaverse proposed an interesting solution for these issues, even proposing an independent economy.

Since the S&P 500 represents a large portion of the value of the U.S. equity market, it may be worth understanding for Americans with offshore investments. The index's performance gives a good representation of the state of the U.S. market, but it does not fully represent it. Further, it does not represent the other markets around the world. Therefore, we will also endeavor with this blog to describe how Americans can utilize Swiss investment advisors to diversify out of the U.S. market.