Local financial advisor explains what to do with 401k after up and downs in stock market

Among the highs and lows of the stock market, people across the country are rushing to see how the fluctuating numbers are affecting their retirement funds.

Aaron Thurston, a local financial advisor, and investment manager with Ameriprise Financial said, “accounts are probably moving a little bit more than normal.”

The movement is normal after a roller coaster week for investors. On Christmas Eve, the market severely dropped but made a big comeback on Wednesday morning, gaining more than 1,000 points.

Thurston explains the big jumps in either direction were expected after such an abnormal year in 2017. He says, “volatility has been back in 2018 and I don’t think that’s a surprise. There’s a lot on people’s mind and in the news.”

The uncertainty comes shifting the market comes from all over the world, but it’s making people question whether they should start rethinking their retirement investments.

Tracy Chatters, a wife, and mother who handles her family’s investment accounts says, “I look at it and think we should go back to bonds, and the next day I say we should go back to international. It’s really hard to keep track.”

Thurston says that’s exactly the opposite of what people should do.

“If something like this continued for a while it could almost be a self-fulfilling thing where people look at the market and they lose confidence.”

The bottom line is there’s no telling what way the market will go and as experts explain, making decisions on daily headlines might hurt your investments in the long run.