Since “Liberation Day”, or the day President Trump enacted “reciprocal tariffs” on countries that he believed engaged in unfair trade practices, the markets have been in a tizzy. At first the market was in a free fall, then there was a large rebound, it then dropped again, and, as of writing, the market experienced a modest rebound.
During down or choppy markets, which occur more regularly than most investors realize, it’s important to maintain proper perspective. Taking a step back to appreciate the bigger picture can serve as an investor’s North Star when the world seems to be crumbling around them. A helpful perspective to remember is that the impact of unfavorable market conditions boils down to your phase of life and level of financial preparedness.
Early to mid-career: The only young investors who should be nervous are those who are not seizing the current opportunity. If you are young, a Bear Market is a gift. It’s a wonderful opportunity to “shop at a discount” and buy stocks at lower prices than what they were trading at a few months ago. Over a multi-decade time horizon, the market will likely trend higher. Seizing the moment by buying stocks at a temporary low can help increase your returns over time.
For those young investors who are not saving regularly, consider this a reminder to take the following steps to secure your financial future:
- Contribute to your employer retirement plan.
- Deposit surplus cash flow, that isn’t needed for expenses or to maintain your lifestyle, on an automatic basis into your personal IRA or taxable account to increase your wealth over time.
- Allocate most of your funds to stocks. Historically, equities tend to meaningfully outpace inflation. If you don’t plan to touch these funds for decades, ensuring that they outpace inflation to maintain your buying power in the future is imperative.
Retirement: For those at or near retirement, volatile markets and scary news headlines are understandably nerve racking. However, these markets should not scare you unless you are unprepared. If your portfolio is too heavily weighted in stocks or concentrated in only a handful of companies, you may need to rethink your retirement plans. An imprudent allocation can literally set some families back years financially.
On the other hand, if you’ve taken the proper steps with your finances, this turbulence should not impact you. Some proactive strategies that would help manage this type of risk include:
- Maintaining a year or two of cash on hand so you don’t need to liquidate your portfolio in a down market.
- Holding an adequately diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds to limit the volatility within your portfolio.
- Coordinating social security and pension payments, if applicable, to help weather this storm.
- Calculate your “safe withdrawal rate” to minimize the probability of running out of funds in retirement.
If you have taken these steps, then these turbulent markets should not worry you.
Legacy Planning: Legacy planning is a fancy way of saying leaving money to loved ones and/or charity once you pass away. For many families, leaving money is an important way to support people or organizations about whom they feel passionate and a way to be remembered. The thought of the market derailing these goals can be worrisome. As with the previous examples, proper planning can help mitigate the risk of the market adversely impacting these goals. Investors who would like to leave a legacy should consider strategies that don’t rely on short-term stock market performance:
- Include charities or loved ones as beneficiaries on a life insurance policy. This allows beneficiaries to receive a fixed amount without needing to worry about market volatility.
- Purchase an annuity to benefit charity or your loved ones for a set period of time period. This is another way for an insurance company to mitigate your risk.
- Leaving a legacy is not only about the transmission of wealth. It’s also about the transmission of values. Volunteering time and energy to those organizations and people about whom you care, and living by example, is the best way to pass down your values. No news headlines or chaotic market environment can impact leaving that type of legacy.
Volatile markets and geopolitical uncertainty are not a new development. History may not repeat itself exactly, but it does rhyme. We will certainly see more chaotic news and markets in the future. The investors who will be best prepared are those who plan ahead and maintain proper perspective.
Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. ParkBridge Wealth Management is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. Investor Disclosures: https://www.kestrafinancial.com/disclosures.
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