Stay on Track During Uncertain Times
Don't let short-term declines in the market negatively affect your long-term retirement savings goals.
As news of rising domestic inflation and global issues, such as the war in Ukraine, continue to dominate headlines, we want to let you know that we recognize concerns you may have during these uncertain times, especially as they relate to your financial security. There are ongoing challenges on many fronts, heightened still by the Coronavirus. Much remains unresolved and the long-term impact of these current events on economic growth is unknown—but keeping a long-term perspective when thinking about your finances is important. Remember that, despite the current environment, the money in your retirement savings is intended to help you achieve financial security for your future.
Equities Will Rebound—Don't Try to Time the Market
Equity market downturns are not uncommon. While market declines can seem significant from a short-term perspective, markets have historically recovered over the longer term. For example, over the past 40 years, equity markets, as shown by the S&P 500®, have gone up 85% of the time.
Compounding of returns over time is a powerful force for achieving retirement goals. That's why it's important to focus on your time in the market over the long term, rather than attempting to time when to get in and out of the market. While it may seem tempting to try to get out of the market to avoid losses, the truth is that nobody knows when it will be the "right" time to get back in, and missing the eventual rebound can impact longer-term performance.
"Investing for retirement should be looked at like running a marathon," said Stephen Rich, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mutual of America Capital Management LLC.1 "In this context, investment performance in any one month, or months, is just a very small part of the journey. In fact, for long-term investors, maintaining your discipline can be very advantageous during this time, in that you are buying stocks at current lower prices, which could increase the potential return over the long term."
Be Sure Your Portfolio Is Diversified
Asset allocation and diversification are the two most important factors in long-term investing success. The combination of equities and bonds, including among the funds you choose, can determine your potential future returns, as well as the volatility, or up-and-down movement, in your portfolio. Having a diversified portfolio that is appropriate for your time horizon and risk tolerance, and that you can stick with during short periods of market volatility, is a sensible approach for retirement savings and investing.2
Strike the Right Balance
Our Asset Allocation Funds prudently balance risk and return based on your risk tolerance, while our Target-Date Retirement Funds do the same based on your expected retirement date. For example, our 2060 Retirement Fund, which has a higher allocation to equities and is therefore more exposed to recent market movements, is appropriate given the time you have until retirement. By contrast, our 2025 Retirement Fund has a much lower allocation to equities and more to fixed income, given that the expected retirement date is within five years. While this fund will fare better in a declining equity market than the 2060 Fund, it has a lower historical and expected return over time than the 2060 Fund, given its more conservative asset allocation. Target-Date funds follow a glide path that governs their asset allocation, which helps reduce risk as you get closer to your retirement age.3
Take Advantage of Our Resources
We recognize that you may be concerned about the ongoing volatility in the stock market. Just remember, we're here to help. If you have questions related to your account, please contact your local Mutual of America representative, or call 800.468.3785, today.