Protect Your 401K

Checked your 401K lately? Going back to about a year ago many of these retirement accounts have shrunk by 30%, some even more. What Happened?

You have been putting money in for years and your employer may have been contributing to your plan also. It is not supposed to get smaller. You are planning to spend that money some time in the future when you decide to quit working. Along with your Social Security payments you should be able to maintain your current lifestyle. But not if your 401K and IRA keep going down and down.

The is no shortage of bad news when mutual funds such as Fidelity Magellan is off more than 30% and Janus 20 is down 63% and I could go on and on. Now you have a sharp pain in your stomach when you read your statement and when you call your broker he gives you the old song and dance about being in there "for the long haul, don't sell". It is not his money.

If you have your 401K with your employer who has a "professional manager" please don't blame the boss. He is at the mercy of that "professional" too who is slowly having you all go broke. These money manglers are taught the three great myths of Wall Street - Do Research, Buy and Hold, Dollar Cost Average. These doctrines have been promoted for so many years that they have become conventional wisdom. You don't need anyone to tell you they do not work. All you have to do is examine the results.

Buy and Hold is the greatest killer of profits. I know. Almost every broker will never tell you to sell when your stock or mutual funds starts declining yet every professional trader will have that as his first rule: have an exit strategy when your investment starts to either lose money or take away profits you have made. If you had been an owner of Janus 20 when it went from 40 to 94 and had a planned exit strategy you would have sold out near 80 to protect your profit. Now it is trading about 35 and after 2 years you have a loss instead of doubling (and keeping) your money.

How can you protect yourself against this type of loss? Don't rely on your broker or financial planner. They have too many clients to be able to watch your money. I said your money. You are the only one who cares. And if you don't want to take an interest in protecting it then you will be eating dog food instead of steak at age 65.

As the mutual funds go up in your 401K or IRA you must take a few minutes once each week or at least once each month to check the price. As you saw the $40 fund advance you set a mental stop-loss value of from 7% to 15% and when it goes down to that price you must immediately transfer those funds either to a different fund that is still advancing or to a Money Market account. It is that simple and there is nothing complicated about it.

If you don't protect your retirement account no one else will. Start today.

Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.

Copyright 2005

Indian Head Park taxi to Midway .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

The Reachy 2 robot is designed to be friendly and approachable, inviting natural interaction and is perfect for research, education and experimenting with embodied AI.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares several easy ways to keep your credit cards safe from digital thieves while you're traveling this summer.
Arcturus sets up cameras around the edges of baseball stadiums to capture real-time action and generate a 3D digital clone of the game.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The CyberGuy explains why healthcare organizations are vulnerable to hackers after there have been a half dozen data breaches this year.
Developed at two California universities, the innovative technology combines brain-computer interfaces with advanced AI to decode neural activity into audible speech.
Microsoft patches 12 critical flaws, but six have already been exploited by criminals. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says updating your system is only a short-term fix.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how robots can milk, feed and clean cows on dairy farms, boosting efficiency and comfort.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says quantum internet ensures unhackable security and redefines online privacy and speed.
Kawasaki's CORLEO is a hydrogen-powered, AI-driven rideable robot. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reports on this new way of thinking about off-road transportation.
The CyberGuy breaks down five mobile privacy terms that could make a difference when it comes to keeping your personal information safe.
A groundbreaking robot that's like a real-life Wall-E uses advanced artificial intelligence to replicate natural gestures and deliberate actions with striking accuracy.
If not properly managed, Windows Defender Application Control, a security feature with Windows, could be a potential security vulnerability.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
FlashBot Arm, a semi-humanoid robot, acts more like a human than traditional robots, and you may see it working at a restaurant, healthcare center or hotel.
There are multiple ways to find your missing Android phone after it goes missing. One method involves using a smartwatch to ping your phone.
The NeuroOne OneRF Ablation System is a new device with FDA-cleared technology designed for both diagnosing and treating neurological disorders in one procedure.
The CyberGuy provides tips to protect yourself from criminals who use various methods to make unauthorized transactions using your account information.
New drone technology maps land and water with stunning accuracy, giving researchers and conservationists a new way to understand our planet.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
X hit with massive data breach with 200 million records leaked, including emails. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers seven tips to help protect yourself.
Atlas robot by Boston Dynamics amazes tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson with its breakdancing moves.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Google kept Android SafetyCore details quiet until it scanned users' photos.
Hydrogen trucks debut in Georgia, sparking debates on costs and green freight gains. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson comments on this promising chapter in green logistics evolution.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says ChatGPT learns from chats, but you should avoid sharing sensitive information to protect your privacy.

Enron Cure

Let's hope you did not have any of the Enron... Read More

Online Investing & Online Stock & Share Trading: Difficulty in Taking Stop Losses in the Market

This is an extract of an article which was first... Read More

Two for the Money

Look back over the years and try to remember how... Read More

Stock Valuation using the SMP Model

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not necessarily purchase, own,... Read More

Stealth Bull

If you have been watching the stock market at all... Read More

Stock Market Volatility

In my opinion, due to the volatility of stock market... Read More

Duct Tape

Did you run out to buy that duct tape yet?... Read More

Stock Market Diversification

In one of my previous articles (Investing in the stock... Read More

Bad News is Good News

For weeks, no, months we have been bombarded with nothing... Read More

What is the Most Important Indicator of All?

Most stock market traders have a favorite technical indicator.The one... Read More

Trading Stocks ?Never Forget About A Past Trade

We all know that emotions control every decision that an... Read More

Attitude Is [Almost] Everything

I often play a little game with myself when I... Read More

How to Evaluate Load vs. No Load Mutual Funds

If you have been dealing with mutual funds for any... Read More

Option Trading Basics

Options trading can increase the profits you make when trading... Read More

Intervention

Intervention. Now don't let that big word scare you. The... Read More

Mutual Fund Expense Lies

When purchasing mutual funds we are cautioned to read the... Read More

Alfred E. Newman

What! Me worry?Many of you remember the cover of MAD... Read More

Why This Bear?

People are constantly asking me why is the stock market... Read More

Invest, Be Wrong, and Make Money in the Stock Market

I have been trading for several decades and was an... Read More

Its Snowing

The Winter Games for the Olympics are coming up soon... Read More

Analyst Reports

When you become interested in a stock or mutual fund... Read More

Time Out

Are you paying any attention to your retirement savings? Do... Read More

Gold Fever

Right now there doesn't seem to be any "gold fever".... Read More

What is Involved in Peak Performance Trading?

There is so much involved in developing peak performance, that... Read More

The Right Mutual Funds For Baby Boomers

If you are a baby boomer, time is not on... Read More

Bonnie Chicago charter limousine ..