We know that when markets drop it can be hard to stomach. As our Co-Chief Investment Officer, Peter Lazaroff likes to say, volatility is the price investors pay for higher stock market returns over the long term. Easy to say, much more difficult to watch.
So if you’re feeling concerned about the market, that’s natural. But you don’t need to react based on that concern. The good news is that at BrightPlan, we help you focus on your goals, not on the day to day fluctuations of the stock market.
Remember, We Plan for Volatility
Focusing on your long-term goals is much more productive than looking at the changing value of your portfolio. Ignore the headlines. Embrace your plan. What is more important, the movements of an arbitrary index, or your actual financial situation laid out in your BrightPlan account?
Remember, if you are following BrightPlan’s investment advice for your goals, we invested with volatility in mind. BrightPlan recommends an Investment Plan for each of your goals that balances both risk and return.
If you have a shorter-term goal and need the money soon, you have less money exposed to the stock market’s swings. Some goals, like an emergency fund, don’t have any stock market exposure at all.
And even longer-term goals like retirement have some insulation from market downturns thanks to a steady bond allocation. No one knows what the markets will do tomorrow, next week or next year, but by focusing on investing appropriately for your goals, you will be happier and more successful.
