The best time to buy something is on sale. Keep dollar cost averaging and buying consistently. No one has a crystal ball to see when the market bottoms out. Don't jump out of the race and sit on the sidelines. You'll miss out on upswings. Keep buying.

I personally don't think we've bottomed out yet. In 08 I kept buying and buying steady and consistently. By 2011 I had regained all losses. I was back to gaining in 2011 2012. Dot com took longer BC the rough negative years were over a three year period vs the shorter 08 crisis. Please remember that if you lose 20% the market has to gain 30% for you to gain back your losses.

Think about your risk tolerance vs risk capacity. In 08 the market went down nearly 40%. My risk tolerance and risk capacity is high as a 50 year old BC Ive continued to invest through two major recessions. No one likes to see dropping portfolios but the party never lasts forever. The historical bull market we are getting out of had an unprecedented 12 year run. Typically out of ten years, two of those years will be volatile and negative. I am confused why you are only down 4% invested in that fund. Check your other holdings and make sure you're not holding cash.

Continue to invest in low cost index funds. Take a deep breath and buckle up for the upcoming bear market. Volatility is your friend of you keep playing the game. You only get hurt on the roller coaster if you jump off.

Anonymous wrote:Should have sold (went to "cash") when S&P500 was 4600- 4800. Don't be greedy.

Wrong!
Time in the market always beats timing the market.
This is not an issue if greed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I invest for retirement through a vanguard account holding VTSAX only and my performance for the year is -4%. How?

Vote Democrat!

The market is up significantly from the election and up from inauguration, so, yes if that is your criteria.

Anonymous wrote:I invest for retirement through a vanguard account holding VTSAX only and my performance for the year is -4%. How?

Vote Democrat!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I invest for retirement through a vanguard account holding VTSAX only and my performance for the year is -4%. How?

It should be -14%. Are you holding a lot of cash?

Performance measures assume money in acct on Jan 1st, personalized performance will take into account the dollar cost averaging of contributions made intra-year.

Anonymous wrote:I like it when I hear people say you can't time the market. The stock market went up from SPY 340 in Feb 2020 right before covid, to SPY 225 in Mar 2020 (COVID Low), to 480 in Jan 2022. At that time, the talk was all about very high inflation and the Fed going to need to increase interest rates to temper the high inflation. The Fed kept talking about the plans for increasing interest rates. That was the time to move out of the stock market. Very obvious. Feel free to hold forever passively and say no one can time the market.

Ok what's the "very obvious" move right now? Tell us what the markets going to do so we can time it with you

Anonymous wrote:I like it when I hear people say you can't time the market. The stock market went up from SPY 340 in Feb 2020 right before covid, to SPY 225 in Mar 2020 (COVID Low), to 480 in Jan 2022. At that time, the talk was all about very high inflation and the Fed going to need to increase interest rates to temper the high inflation. The Fed kept talking about the plans for increasing interest rates. That was the time to move out of the stock market. Very obvious. Feel free to hold forever passively and say no one can time the market.

Come back when you've found the perfect re entry time. That's how people lose $ - by not being invested when the market rises.

Anonymous wrote:I invest for retirement through a vanguard account holding VTSAX only and my performance for the year is -4%. How?

It should be -14%. Are you holding a lot of cash?

Anonymous wrote:I like it when I hear people say you can't time the market. The stock market went up from SPY 340 in Feb 2020 right before covid, to SPY 225 in Mar 2020 (COVID Low), to 480 in Jan 2022. At that time, the talk was all about very high inflation and the Fed going to need to increase interest rates to temper the high inflation. The Fed kept talking about the plans for increasing interest rates. That was the time to move out of the stock market. Very obvious. Feel free to hold forever passively and say no one can time the market.

Whatever. Do you know how many people told me the market was crazy overvalued the last few years and they were waiting for a correction? They lost out on 25%+ gains.

If you think you can time when to get out AND when to get in be my guest but the data shows the professional money managers lose to pass investing 80%+ of the time.

I like it when I hear people say you can't time the market. The stock market went up from SPY 340 in Feb 2020 right before covid, to SPY 225 in Mar 2020 (COVID Low), to 480 in Jan 2022. At that time, the talk was all about very high inflation and the Fed going to need to increase interest rates to temper the high inflation. The Fed kept talking about the plans for increasing interest rates. That was the time to move out of the stock market. Very obvious. Feel free to hold forever passively and say no one can time the market.

Should have sold (went to "cash") when S&P500 was 4600- 4800. Don't be greedy.

VTSAX down -14% YTD

That's good. Any other account would be -40%. Market doesn't just go up, it also goes down. In fact, it goes up and down. You are looking at it while it is going down.
Good time to be buying as it's going down and you are getting it on sale.
What did they promise you that -4% last year is a no-no?

Do you not understand how the stock market has performed this year?

I invest for retirement through a vanguard account holding VTSAX only and my performance for the year is -4%. How?