Lost about 2% of our retirement accounts this week

[question everything]

Trying to be conservative at 50:50 and both stock and bond funds, domestic and international lost.

Hope this is not the October curse..

[brokephibroke]

1. About the same

With a similar mix. If rates keep going up stocks will become a lot less attractive. But on the bright side, you may be able to retire on interest...

[still_one]

2. If you didn't sell you didn't lose anything. The fact is all indications are the era of low

interest rates are over, and in general, the stock market will be limited by how high interest rates go

Another factor with rising interest rates, the value for bonds in the secondary market go down as interest rates rise. The bond funds will tend to go down in value as interest rates increase. Depending on the bond funds, what bonds they are invested in, and their maturity, over the long term it should even out as older bonds in that fund mature, and new ones replace those

Investments should also be based on how soon you will need the money, whether for retirement or some other purpose

If one is depending on it for retirement, and that time is not far away shifting more assets toward stability toward bonds or bond funds are a prudent thing to do. In an environment of rising interest rates it might be prudent to buy bond funds whose maturities are not too far out, such as 2 to 5 years, until the bond market stabilizes.

GNMA funds are usually work out over the long term, plus you obtain interest income paid out through the fund.

Stocks are going to be tricky going forward depending on the economy, the impact of trade wars, etc. You pays your money and you take your chances.

[question everything]

5. Well, was lucky to sell beginning of the month

Our regular RMD withdrawals. I take them myself calculating for each month - more for when estimated and property taxes are due.

And, have to admit that while taking less than 4% a year - based on the IRS table for RMDs - for the past 3 years, since spouse turned 70 1/2, our funds did rise, even after withdrawals, so cannot complain much, unless here is a return of 2008.

And... seems that the October curse is returning, for different reasons.

[still_one]

6. Sounds like you are pretty savey on what's up, and better yet, you did excellent planning!!!

[JayhawkSD]

3. Gained about 1.5% on ours.

So you may need to rethink where you have your investment management.

[progree]

4. S&P 500 down 0.97% over the past week

Fri Oct 5 close: 2885.57
Fri Sept 28 close: 2913.98

https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5EGSPC/history?p=%5EGSPC

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

7. 2% isn't that much, but as someone else has pointed out,

you might want to take a close look at exactly how and where your money is invested.

Even though on average stocks rise 10% a year, they also have down years.

I keep on reading that a 50/50 mix of stocks and bonds is actually too bond heavy, even for a retired person.

Anyway, my point is that there will come a time when the market will drop a whole lot, although it will then recover after a while. None of us look forward to that drop, but the best way to think about it when it happens is as a buying opportunity.