Recently I was interviewed on a radio show about my new book Off the Record: Building a Successful Retirement and a Lasting Legacy. During the discussion, I was asked about a recent stock market decline of 3.5 percent. "Adam, do you see this as a temporary dip and a buying opportunity or as the end of the market's amazing run?"
My response was "I don't know."
Because, truthfully, I don't know. Do you? I can certainly speculate, as can you. But the answer varies depending on your stage of retirement planning. For a 26-year-old at the beginning of her career, this is quite possibly a buying opportunity. For a 62-year-old drawing down his nest egg for needed retirement income, the answer may be very different. If you go deeper, you'll realize the response depends on a person's time horizon and an investment's intended purpose.