For decades 401(k), IRA and other long term investors have been told to use a 'Buy-and-Hold' approach with their stocks and mutual funds. For decades that approach worked well as the stock market, with the exception of a hiccup or two, rose steadily year after year. Since the year 2000 however, it's been a different story. Market declines and recovery periods have become much more pronounced since then, affecting everyone's bottom lines. Following the 'Buy-and-Hold' approach has forced many investors - depending on their time frame (age) - to alter or cancel their plans for retirement. Does 'Buy-and-Hold' still work? Take a look at the these charts and decide for yourself!

3. This chart shows how the S&P 500
– the stock market –
has performed since 1950.
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

4. For decades, stocks pretty much rose year-after-year.
‘Buy-and-Hold’ was a simple, profitable
investment strategy.
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

5. Investing couldn’t have been easier
for busy working folks back then!

6. But when the ‘Tech Bubble’ popped
in early 2000, everything changed.
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

7. The S&P 500 dropped steadily
for the next 2 ½ years…
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

8. …and took 7 years to get back to
where it was in 2000!
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

9. What happened next scared investors so
badly many of them pulled out of the
markets – and remain out to this day!

10. Just when stock prices had clawed their way
back to their 2000 levels, the ‘Credit Bubble’
popped in 2007.
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

11. Stocks fell again, this time for almost
a year and a half…
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

12. …and it took another 6 years for stocks to
get back to their 2000 levels!
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

13. made things a for
401(k) investors to say the least!
These wild market swings

14. Many stock market ‘experts’ call these years
‘The Lost Decade’ for investors…
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

15. …but it took until 2013 for stock prices to
return – and hold above – their 2000 levels.
That makes it a ‘Lost Baker’s Dozen’!
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

16. Many had to delay retirement – some retired
with much less than they had planned.
Folks who had always been told to
‘Buy-and-Hold’ suffered hits to their nest eggs
that took years to recover.

17. The stock market has been rising steadily since it
regained its 2000 price levels…
but there’s a new blip on the chart.
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

18. Now, it could just be a blip…or it could be
the beginning of the next bear market…
chart courtesy of
Yahoo!Finance &
CSI Data

20. Yeah…if you live as long as
Methusela!

21. Hey, it’s your money!
Don’t leave your 401(k) to fend for itself!
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