Four Things To Do During A Stock Market Downturn

You have undoubtedly read and heard about the whiplash-producing stock market this week because the so-called experts at every newspaper and news channel have been talking about it incessantly. It reminds me of the breathless excitement of meteorologists prior to an anticipated snowstorm. In fact, these “experts” are about as accurate as the weather forecasters too. Part of the reason these trading days have been such a shock to many is that the markets have been so calm for so long. In fact, the market in 2017 exhibited the least volatility of any year in history. So, when we see a drop of 4% in the S&P 500 in one day, it is natural to feel some anxiety. Before you get too worked up, consider these four steps during a market downturn:

1. If you believe in your financial plan, do nothing

As long as your portfolio is structured to support your financial plan, don’t worry about it, do nothing. Your financial plan should provide you with the target you need to hit at a certain age – usually retirement age. That targeted dollar amount should be the amount of investment assets necessary to generate enough income for the rest of your life after social security and other possible income sources are considered. Your focus should be that target in that year, not your total next week.

2. Don’t panic and sell

People sometimes panic when the market jolts and they exacerbate the downturn by selling assets in response. Note this study: The S&P 500 made 9.85% per year from 1995 through 2014. If you sold your stock mutual funds and missed out on just the 10 best days during that period, that return drops to 6.1%. For example, if you began 1995 with $100,000, you would have $75,078 more at the end of 2014 by staying invested. So, don’t panic and move your money into cash.

3. Review your plan

If the volatility in the market makes you nervous, reassure yourself by checking your progress toward your goals. Look at your financial plan to make sure it is up to date, congratulate yourself on your progress so far and focus on your long-term goals. If circumstances have changed and your plan needs updating, recent events could be a good reminder to do that.

4. Manage risk by rebalancing your portfolio

Your financial plan should be supported by a portfolio that allocates a percentage to different asset classes – such as stock mutual funds, long-term income funds, international funds, possibly real estate funds – in a way that is appropriate for your individual circumstances. Reviewing your portfolio quarterly to ensure those asset classes are still allocated according to your plan is a good way to manage the risk of your portfolio and to stay on track.

If you are interested in learning more about investing for the long-term while managing volatility, resulting in a better retirement outcome, see a recent post on the importance of a diversified portfolio: Monica and Chandler Predict the 2018 Stock Market