Between the trade war heating up, and the recent market volatility, there’s no telling what kind of market we’re heading into. After enjoying a 10-year long bull market, there could be tougher times ahead in the near future, or down the road, after you’re retired.
The recent market volatility may have you concerned, especially if you’re approaching or already in retirement. Feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and uneasiness are all common during any scary and volatile market. These feelings are normal and sometimes it can be beneficial to take a step back and look at the big picture. We can’t predict the markets, so acting with haste and making emotional decisions can potentially negatively impact your retirement outlook. Make sure to remind yourself of the reasons you’re planning and investing in the first place. Focusing on your priorities and unique goals can help you put your market exposure and risk tolerance into perspective. Now that you’ve done this, you can focus your time and efforts on what’s really important.
Times of market volatility are never pleasant, but they pose a particular threat to you as you near and enter retirement. The state of the market just before you retire can impact your returns throughout your entire retirement. This is because once someone takes withdrawals from a fund’s underlying investments, they expose themselves to sequence of returns risk.
