How does inflation affect personal wealth?
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If you are referring to the personal wealth included in the open data for the fed, ecb, and bank of england – personal wealth is the same as net assets on a balance sheet, which is the same as equity + liabilities. If a liability increases, then personal wealth also increases so taking out a loan increases your personal wealth. This may sound backwards, but all liabilities provide some sort of asset in the case of credit – this is cash (and not it sounds more digestible). Inflation will increase credit consumption, which increases net worth. However, once inflation starts to choke revenue flows, losses are incurred which affects retained earnings (part of equity on a balance sheet), and thus reduces personal wealth. In short, inflation will increase personal wealth. If inflation is high enough to cause a recession, then personal wealth will follow with the disinflation/deflation during a recession and decrease. Mostly because of losses absorbed by retained earnings.
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