MARKETS,Anybody even yet?

[olds442jetaway]

JMO. I would stick with dollar cost averaging. This insane market can be a day trader’s dream or nightmare. I did it for a year when I first retired in 2003. Too much stress, time, and paperwork for me. Just safety net stuff now, but who knows what a safety net is anymore. Believe it or not, unless the life insurance companies fail, We are quite happy with the wife’s 403b. I will take the 4 percent return tax defered any day in this world. Guess most of you know, the RMD requirement for 2020 has been canceled. Not just deferred. What I am afraid we may be looking at down the road are the following to make up for massive spending, a surtax on AGI, making earnings on Roth IRAs taxable, massive increases in state and local taxes and higher Capital Gains rates. Over time, the market itself should come back and settle in to its historic 10 percent annual returns since 1926 or so. For me and the Mrs., we don’t have that kind of time horizon. So for now we are content to stay about even and above all, keep our health.

[notes1]

from the market highs in october 2007, it took until the spring of 2013, to get back to those 2007 levels. not everyone has 5,6,7 years to wait for their money to return to previous levels. i have no idea how long it will take to get back to levels seen in mid february 2020.

our own portfolio is down just 1.21% ytd, sounds impressive, when one considers many stock funds are down double digit. but, our risk allocation is quite low, i have been moving money out of stocks for some time now, due to our age. didn't appear to be a good strategy for some years, but now it looks a little smarter. we have less than 15% in stocks, happy with the fixed returns i was able to lock in.

but, i would never have done what i did, when we were in our 30-40-50's. for decades we were 99% in stock funds and it paid off. when one reaches the point they have enough, time to consider not being greedy.

good luck all!

[case]

I sold part of my stocks late last year to realize some of my gains. I invested that money in short term GIC,s to use when the recession (correction) comes. Of course I did not have any idea about the Covid virus but felt we were overdue for a correction and the stocks I sold were up quite a bit. My goal was to use those GIC's to buy back when prices got low.

So the virus came and markets took the big drop. I did spend about half my money buying back those I had sold at a big discount. However I did not spend it all because I have a feeling a recession will follow after the virus news stays positive. People are not working and governments are heavily in debt. Time will tell.

The stocks I held in my portfolio took a big hit and I am still down quite a bit. But only on paper as I have no intention of selling at these prices. This will be a rocky year ahead for the markets.

[advantage playe]

just my postulate 90% not 100% , dow down 5000 pts by Friday this week ! look out below
!!

[OTABILL]

"Ride-er-down and ride-er-back-up" sounds more appropriate to me.

Good luck to everyone out there. Stay safe! Our returns won't be any good on the other side of this life.

Eduardo, as Jamie Colby intones at the end of each episode of Strange Inheritance, now reruns on Fox Business, "Remember, you can't take it with you."

[FAA]

What I’d give to be -1.2% YTD! Add a zero.

[Webman]

What I’d give to be -1.2% YTD! Add a zero.

I have great news. -1.20% isn't much worse than -1.2%

[notes1]

What I’d give to be -1.2% YTD! Add a zero.

I have great news. -1.20% isn't much worse than -1.2%

webman has a good sense of humor. very good!

let me just remind what i originally posted, down 1.2% so far for 2020, but only have 15% in stock funds.

that means in 2019, we made 8% on our overall portfolio, while a blind squirrel made about 30% , if all in stock funds.

[tech58]

Sorry,Notes but as moderator i feel compelled here, to disqualify you from prize consideration.
A 1.2% loss (edit that: 1.20%) is not enough PAIN and or ride-er-back-up involved for inclusion.

My condolences for your last year return. However that pain cannot be included in this years contest

[FAA]

Yeah, you were in a prudent, defensive position which inherently caps gains and losses.