The stock market is risky.
It’s risky to be in it and it’s risky not to be in it. We all know what can happen in one bad year
in the stock market. But what happens
over the long term if you play it too safe? An Ibbotson Associates study reported
by Fidelity pointed out the bad news to those who avoid all risk. Over an
average 30-year period going back to 1926, a $10,000 investment in safe,
short-term assets would have grown to just over $27,000. But if the same $10,000 were invested in
stocks, it would have grown to more than $175,000. That’s quite a penalty for playing it safe. But what’s more is that if you were unlucky and
picked the WORST 30-year period for stocks, you still would have seen your
money grow to over $95,000. Of course, past performance is no guaranty of
future results and money you need in the next few years may be best kept out of
stocks as you don’t have time to wait out the volatility. But history has been unkind to those who play
it too safe. After all, consider that candy
bars and houses double or triple (or more) in price every 30 years and then you’ll
realize why you need those higher returns.
https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/financial-basics/guide-to-401k
Larry Pike, CFA
Client Priority Financial Advisors LLCwww.clientpriority.com
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