stockmarket

[Chuck52]

OK, OK, OK!! Which one of you highrollers is it that keeps selling off his stock about the time my retirement account begins to look like it might recover? /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif

Chuck

 

[TerryinMD]

Chuck,

I'm not a highroller. /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif My retirement and my childrens education has been dwindling quickly.

Just take a look at WorldCom (pity me, I have the fine distinction of being an employee of this fine example of current technology companies). /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

There are others.... what the hedouble-hockey sticks is going on!! /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif Looks like I'll be able to retire when I'm 85 now.... /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

Terry

 

[Chuck52]

Doesn't it seem like every time the Dow gets to about 9900 it hits the can again? Almost as if a bunch of computer traders have that set as a sell flag. AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!! I gotta quit looking at those numbers./w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif I think I need to stay away from the Netscape homepage.

Chuck

 

[Thomas]

Kinds hard to believe that one company can play such a role in stock market also affect retirements /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

Sure not me I got out awhile ago.

 

[Chuck52]

I don't "play" the market and never have. But my retirement program, like many others, is partly a broad based mutual fund. I'll be in it for more than ten additional years. Most of the experts still say the market will outperform most other investments over that long a time period, but the roller coaster we're on now will give you indigestion if you watch it too much.

Chuck

 

[ewoss3]

Terry, I think we'll be closer to 95 before we get to retire

 

[TerryinMD]

<font color=blue>Terry, I think we'll be closer to 95 before we get to retire</font color=blue>

ewoss3,

Now that comment just made me feel sooooo much better... /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Terry

 

[ewoss3]

hey, they could offer us some more of that good stock and you can buy a whole lot more with your 401k right now..finally 5% that goes a long way

 

[ewoss3]

If you want to feel better, just look at the williams stock and realize that we could still be owned by them. At least that always makes me feel better.

 

[TerryinMD]

ewoss3,

I am of the opinion that I will invest my hard earned money in other funds for the time being. For the most part, all stocks and funds are going south. But, at least the mutual funds are diversified and not have a CEO who is, well, sometimes a little too iffy.....

Terry

 

[snowman]

Just pay close attention to what the mutual fund invests in, as the so called goals of the fund may be different than what they're actually doing (ie: they advertise the fund as conservative, but actually invest in non-conservative investments).

I seem to recall last summer, there was a bond fund that never valued their holdings properly, and when a "real" valuation was done, the share value plunged 90% or so.

Never believe what you see and never be afraid to question anything as it relates to your own money.

 

[TerryinMD]

snowman,

Yes, good advise.

Another thing that I personally avoid are funds that are not publically listed. Our 401k has a few private funds (might not be the right terminology) only listed by the 401k administrator. The fund manager may have a good sense of how to invest the money put forth, but you do not have the scrutiny of a publicly traded fund. Plus, there are not as many investors involved which does not give the fund manager as much money to invest to possibly increase dividends.

Terry

 

[frank_f15]

now i feel better. knowing i am not the only one watching his 401 go down the tubes. working till 90 ain't so bad/w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

 

[ewoss3]

Terry, I actually worry more about the senior leadership, you have to wonder if they will pull their head out at some point and ride a few of these groups that constantly want to bicker over who get to sell to a customer

 

[Chuck52]

I'm so knowledgeable about all this that I'm not even sure if mine is a 401k or a 403b./w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif My employer doesn't contribute, so I think it's a 403b, but it's doing the same thing anyway. Every time I think about switching from the stock option to the fixed income option, the market will come up a bit and I'll decide it's gotta do better at least over the next 10 years.....always has...even through the Great Depression, though maybe that was a 20 year window. Now I find myself hoping that technology doesn't do completely away with my specialty in case I want to delay retirement.

Chuck

 

[TerryinMD]

The best advaice that I have heard is to just ride things out.

In todays market, there are no sure bets (unless you have extra money to invest /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif). But alas, I'm not in the position to take advantage of the stressed market. /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

Terry