What happens to my retirement if the stock market crashes?
Your investment is put into various asset options, including stocks. The value of those stocks is directly tied to the stock market's performance. This means that when the stock market is up, so is your investment, and vice versa. The odds are the value of your retirement savings may decline if the market crashes.
The value of a 401(k) account, or any retirement account, always depends on how the account is invested. For many people who are still decades away from retirement, their portfolios will largely consist of stocks, which may suffer declines during a recession or economic slowdown.
It is possible to lose money in a Roth IRA depending on the investments chosen. Roth IRAs are not 100% safe, but they offer the potential for growth over time. Market fluctuations and early withdrawal penalties can cause a Roth IRA to lose money.
Investors seeking stability in a recession often turn to investment-grade bonds. These are debt securities issued by financially strong corporations or government entities. They offer regular interest payments and a smaller risk of default, relative to bonds with lower ratings.
Over the long term, stocks outperform bonds. So, stock market investments should be one component of a plan you use to prevent your savings from running dry before the end of a retirement that can last 20 or 30 years or longer.
“We believe the key thing to do is to keep your 401(k) funds invested. If you take them out of the market, you may lock in losses and could miss out on opportunities for market rebounds.”
Given a recession is the most likely outcome by 2024, it's important to keep contributing to your 401(k) during downturns. Take advantage of lower prices to build a large 401(k) portfolio for retirement. After all, you won't be tapping your 401(k) until after age 59.5 anyway without penalty.
Having a diversified 401(k) of mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that invest in stocks, bonds and even cash can help protect your retirement savings in the event of an economic downturn. How much you choose to allocate to different investments depends in part on how close you are to retirement.
Key Takeaways:
The 100-minus-your-age long-term savings rule is designed to guard against investment risk in retirement. If you're 60, you should only have 40% of your retirement portfolio in stocks, with the rest in bonds, money market accounts and cash.
If you are a short-term investor, bank CDs and Treasury securities are a good bet. If you are investing for a longer time period, fixed or indexed annuities or even indexed universal life insurance products can provide better returns than Treasury bonds.
What not to buy during a recession?
During an economic downturn, it's crucial to control your spending. Try to avoid taking on new debt you don't need, like a house or car. Look critically at smaller expenses, too — there's no reason to keep paying for things you don't use.
Yes, cash can be a good investment in the short term, since many recessions often don't last too long. Cash gives you a lot of options.
Generally, money kept in a bank account is safe—even during a recession. However, depending on factors such as your balance amount and the type of account, your money might not be completely protected.
If you're 70, you should keep 30% of your portfolio in stocks. However, with Americans living longer and longer, many financial planners are now recommending that the rule should be closer to 110 or 120 minus your age.
Investors in their 50s and 60s keep between 35% and 39% of their portfolio assets in U.S. stocks and about 8% in international stocks. Older investors in their 70s and over keep between 31% and 33% of their portfolio assets in U.S. stocks and between 5% and 7% in international stocks.
The general rule is that the younger you are, the more risk you're able to tolerate. The older you get, though, means you must cut back on the amount of risk in your portfolio. The common rule of asset allocation by age is that you should hold a percentage of stocks that is equal to 100 minus your age.
It's safe from the stock market: If a recession causes short-term market volatility, you won't lose money on your high-yield savings deposits, unlike investing in the stock market.
401(k) retirement plans may be “frozen” by a company's management, temporarily halting new contributions and withdrawals. A freeze can occur in the case of a corporate restructuring such as a merger or if your company changes 401(k) plan providers.
Did you know you can put your retirement funds in an interest-bearing money market account rather than investing in the risky stock market? While most retirement accounts focus on index funds, stocks, bonds and other assets, you can actually park your retirement money in an FDIC-insured money market account as well.
Most experts recommend contributing to your 401(k) for at least as long as you're working.
Is the government taking money from 401k?
The government doesn't tax income contributed to a traditional 401(k) or IRA. You pay taxes when you withdraw the money in retirement. The tax breaks cost the federal government about $185 billion a year in lost revenue, according to Treasury Department estimates for 2020.
| Fund | Expense Ratio | 10-year average annual return |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Nasdaq Composite Index Fund (FNCMX) | 0.29% | 15.7% |
| Fidelity Growth Discovery Fund (FDSVX) | 0.67% | 15.8% |
| Vanguard Growth Index Fund (VIGAX) | 0.05% | 14.7% |
| Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX) | 0.015% | 13% |
If you're younger, you can keep investing more in stocks because you have time to recover from any downturn. If you're older, moving your money into government and municipal bonds will help shield most of your money from the volatility of the stock market. Remember, time and consistency will help your 401(k) grow.
At age 60–69, consider a moderate portfolio (60% stock, 35% bonds, 5% cash/cash investments); 70–79, moderately conservative (40% stock, 50% bonds, 10% cash/cash investments); 80 and above, conservative (20% stock, 50% bonds, 30% cash/cash investments).
Investors can preserve their capital by diversifying holdings over different asset classes and choosing assets that are non-correlating. Put options and stop-loss orders can stem the bleeding when the prices of your investments start to drop. Dividends buttress portfolios by increasing your overall return.
