Stocks and investing

[JConley]

This is getting really depressing.



My wife just told me how much is in our retirement account, and I just cant believe it. Your punished by the IRS if you take the money out early so you leave it in and end up loosing money in the market. Cash looks like a really good option now, but I am thinking about putting a little in now to try and make up for my losses in the hopes that the market will go up eventually.



What are Y'All doing about your long term investments... ??

 

[dresslered]

Maybe it's a real mistake, but I've been heavily buying into the stock market. There are some good mutual funds as well as index funds which will reduce volatility while maintaining a position for a rebound.

 

[me4osu]

You don't lose anything unless you sell. Just sit on what you have, it will come back. Like dressler said, if you have the money, this is a good time to buy.

 

[hammersley]

It's a buyer's market.....

You're buying stock real cheap right now - and let's be realistick - if we don't have a big turnaround - a lot of REALLY RICH folks will loose a ZILLION - so I don't think that's going to happen. Do exactly as dresslered recommended. Now if only we can get His recommendation... ...

 

[klenger]

Staying put and buying funds via 401k. I wonder if most of the people selling now are traders that bought on margin and have to sell to pay the margin call.

 

[Pit Bull]

Money market and Treasury bonds. I expect the market to take 10 years to get back where it was. If you have that long then you should buy. If not I would go the conservative way. Now I am not a big investment guru, but I did retire at 49

 

[dresslered]

Now if only we can get His recommendation... ...

Sure hammersley, however, remember that I still have to work for a living!

but I did retire at 49

Sounds like you made the right calls Pit Bull!

You don't lose anything unless you sell.

Keep reminding me me4osu!

 

[FATCAT]

Cash, Treasures', and tin cans

I have re-directed my 401K stuff to only capital preservation funds (i. e. bonds, treasures, etc... ) Also I recomend puting cash in old coffee cans and burying them in the back yard.



If this keeps up, my retirement plan will be having the wife keep the car running while I go into the bank and make a ... . withdrawal, yeah thats it a withdrawal. Then do the same in the next county.

 

[Whitmore]

I am buying heavily in mutual funds... ... ... ... ..... now is the time to buy, I will wait patiently for normal in hopes of a rebound

 

[hammersley]

Also remember this advice....

If you had bought $1,000. 00 worth of Nortel stock one year ago, it would now be worth $49. 00.



With Enron, you would have $16. 50 of the original $1,000. 00.



With Worldcom, you would have less than $5. 00 left.



If you had bought $1,000. 00 worth of Budweiser (the beer, not the stock) one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the cans for the 10 cent deposit, you would have $214. 00. (even at 5 cents you win)



Based on the above, my current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.

 

[Pit Bull]

Re: Also remember this advice....

Originally posted by hammersley

If you had bought $1,000. 00 worth of Nortel stock one year ago, it would now be worth $49. 00.



With Enron, you would have $16. 50 of the original $1,000. 00.



With Worldcom, you would have less than $5. 00 left.



If you had bought $1,000. 00 worth of Budweiser (the beer, not the stock) one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the cans for the 10 cent deposit, you would have $214. 00. (even at 5 cents you win)



Based on the above, my current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.

That is great LMAO

 

[lizzyhermit]

Originally posted by Pit Bull

Money market and Treasury bonds. I expect the market to take 10 years to get back where it was. If you have that long then you should buy. If not I would go the conservative way. Now I am not a big investment guru, but I did retire at 49

hey PitBull, what about different investment firms? More than one basket for the eggs?

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by lizzyhermit





hey PitBull, what about different investment firms? More than one basket for the eggs?

I don't think that is necessary. But alway do your own research.

 

[bighammer]

Paying off my houses seems like the best investment plan at the moment. Haven't changed any of the current stock holdings. (they are pretty minimal anyway) I figure if we can get out f debt, my wife can quit working. (I quit about 8 years ago)



I think it is going to take some time for the market to fully recover.

 

[Whitmore]

I got a couple grand extra a month besides the normal income that my wife and I bring in and am kinda looking for someplace to put it??? is there a limit on the new ROTH IRA's I really need to see a financial advisor but I always think they just want my money... ... ... ... Kevin

 

[DGFoster]

Yep,need to be careful with all the conservative fat cats like our vice president who backs up all the big corporate execs. with his no comment,or I refuse to answer on the grounds it may incriminate me. . Never know who will get screwed next

 

[E7mack96]

Enron, ect...

i lost mt a** on Enron. also lost big on CMTN. I now have less than 1 /10 my original portfolio. But I am staying pat. And even trowing a few g's in when i can.

 

[lizzyhermit]

take the money and run

is there more penalty to taking a cash out of a retirement plan than the advertised 10% excise tax and the witholding of 20% for the IRS?



I know that all the cash is taxable in the year it's taken out.



Our company froze a retirment plan in '94 and has decided to terminate the plan so as to get the surplus cash back into the company. Some of us weren't in the plan that long (although fully vested) so the cash out option might be attractive for some unplanned cash even after the taxes mentioned above.

 

[Pit Bull]

Re: take the money and run

Originally posted by lizzyhermit

is there more penalty to taking a cash out of a retirement plan than the advertised 10% excise tax and the witholding of 20% for the IRS?



I know that all the cash is taxable in the year it's taken out.



Our company froze a retirment plan in '94 and has decided to terminate the plan so as to get the surplus cash back into the company. Some of us weren't in the plan that long (although fully vested) so the cash out option might be attractive for some unplanned cash even after the taxes mentioned above.

Roll it into an IRA. Other wise it sounds like you have a handle on the tax load. You could alway invest in a new CTD or bombing gear

 

[lizzyhermit]

roll it into an IRA? but I'm not old enough to draw it out untaxed that's why I figured on a one hit penalty and spending or paying off some unsecured debt.