Value wise about 10%. But I'm 99.9% in a dividend paying stock. On May 14th, I'll get another nice quarterly check. Since I'm still working, it will go to buying more of that stock.

Best answer.

I don't know a single person with a ROTH or 401K that hasn't lost a few thousand dollars. I know of one that has lost over 25k from his 401k

I’d have to sell after a 50% drop to lose anything I’ve put in my 401k. I ain’t selling for about 6 years if then and it hasn’t dropped in half to start getting into my money. All these loses are in vapor money. Unrealized values on a computer screen.

If you are are still contributing to your 401k at this point you are doing good. It is called "dollar cost averaging." meaning that you are buying when stocks are low and also buying when stocks are high. So you are good to go. Leave the money in there, don't sell and move it into bonds or treasuries, because you are scared. It will go back up, it always does.

If you are retired like Mrs. Irish and I the trick is to have multiple sources of income and also cash reserves. At one point we were down over $100k, but I wasn't worried, because we have worked and saved to also build up some CD's earning 5% interest, and if we need any of that money we can make an early withdrawal with the only penalty being the last couple of month's interest. We also have enough money in a high interest savings account earning almost 5% to help pay the bills for about 2 years if we need it. All that money has already been taxed (except for the interest it earns). So all that money is for use as a buffer when the stock market is down and we need or want it. The good part about it is if we take it out and spend it, then it doesn't count as taxable income. I did our taxes this year like I always do, and we ended up paying a total of 8.15% in federal income tax our first year of retirement.

We also have my pension, Mrs. Irish will begin drawing her Social Security when she turns 62 in September of this year so she can have more spending cash, and I will follow and draw my Social Security when I turn 65 in August of 2026. At that point I doubt we will probably need to take very little out of savings, unless we are still travelling like we have in 2024 and blowing money like a drunk sailor.

I'm not sure yet how exactly how the RMD's are going to affect us tax wise. I have a pretty good idea, but I won't know until I turn about 73, or somewhere abouts, and Uncle Sam makes me start taking them.

The Dow is still above any point in history prior to Aug 2024.

True. But have you made money if you don’t sell? Works both ways.

I saw a chart going back to 1800s showing recessions and market downturns are less frequent now and bounce back quicker last few decades . The sky isn't falling , it's just raining.

It always comes back. I lived through 08 but was in a different situation. I was trying to get to a certain number, almost did, then this came out of left field. So we wait…..

you only will lose if you sell now. Stocks will go back up

Haven’t looked at mine, I am very aggressive even though retired, probably not the safest option but I have a hard time being in a stable fund, if mine didn’t paper loss 150k I wouldn’t be surprised