Hello to all,
In such a time of uncertainty with seemingly no investment shielded from the volatility in both bond and stock markets, I thought I’d share a few thoughts with you. In the worst of times there’s always a silver lining. Here’s some answers to the questions you may be asking yourself and some ideas of how to best navigate this trying time.
Question: What should I do with my Investment portfolio?
Response: The worst thing you can do is panic and sell your investments when the market goes down. Just as quick as the market has gone from the all-time highs to a possible recession remember that it can go back up with the same amount of ferocity in a short span of time! Missing that return and locking in losses by selling can start an unproductive cycle of trying to figure when to get in and out of the market.
One thing you
should
be doing is increasing the amount you’re contributing to your retirement accounts. The more you can increase your contributions the better things will look for your account when we get to the other side of the tunnel after the dust has settled. Buying in at these lower prices will improve the gains you experience in the future.
Cash is king! If you happen to be sitting on any cash above and beyond your emergency reserve amount (6-12 months of expenses), then consider investing it. You can open an account right online or contact your advisor and put that money to work.
Understand that this period of market volatility could last weeks, or it could last months. If it bothers you to look at the values in your accounts when they’re lower then shut your laptop and focus on other things. Turn off CNBC and the nightly news and enjoy spending time with your family/friends!
If you’re a homeowner, it’s a good time to investigate refinancing your mortgage. Rates for a 20-year mortgage for a person with good credit are near 3%!! For example, you could end up cutting 2 years off your mortgage term, reducing your monthly payment by a few bucks, and most importantly saving yourself tens of thousands of dollars in interest costs over the term of the loan.
If you need help feel free to contact me at 856-988-9500 or emailing me at
[email protected]
. Bankrate.com has very helpful calculators to use and a guide to who’s offering the best rates currently. It’ll also show you how much your payment will change, the impact on the interest your projected to pay and how long until you break even after paying the points and/or closing costs.
That’s all for now, keep these points in mind and you’ll be just fine!!
Mark J. McGaurn, CFP
President
HaydenRock Financial
