Photoessay #482 - Fear and the stock market

I realize that this has been one of those beliefs taken as gospel by the American middle class.

Invest your money
and it's corollary
Invest your money for your retirement

So we have. In mutual funds, some stock, some bonds. It's just supposed to sit there percolating interest and dividends and 'growth' and then, later, when you need it, you will be so glad. That you didn't spend it on consumer items or on vacations or on new cars.

Just complete gospel, unwavering faith.

So now, what? The carefully collected and invested funds that were making me feel so secure, crumbling.

Do we get out now before it gets 'worse'? Of course, if you sell now, you are cementing the losses. Or hold. Because it will get better. It will come back.

Or will you be the last one holding the worthless assets?

At Parent group, we are always trying to get people not have their own fear affect their parenting decisions.

Good advice here, I think.

Illustration lifted from a blog about the Chinese stock market, used without permission