Retirement Planning In Today’s Society

The National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation system, or NASDAQ, represents all domestic and non-U.S. based common stocks traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market.

By 1896, The Wall Street Journal was publishing its average on a regular basis, and the most famous indicator of stock market health was born: the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Most people have heard of the Dow, as well as a few other well-known stock indexes that track the overall direction of the market. Indexes and averages serve as useful benchmarks against which investors can measure the performance of their own portfolios. Depending on its makeup, a stock index can give investors some idea about the state of the market as a whole or a certain sector of the market. Conceptually, a shift in the price of an index represents an equitable change in the stocks included in the index.

Basically, indexes are imaginary portfolios of securities that represent a particular market or section of the market. Each index has its own method of calculating a change in its base value, often expressed as a percentage change. Thus, you might hear that an index has risen or fallen by a certain percentage. Although you can’t invest directly in an unmanaged index, you can invest in an index mutual fund that attempts to mirror a particular index by investing in the securities that comprise the index. The performance of an unmanaged index is not indicative of the performance of any specific investment.

Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more valuable than ever. The money in them grows tax deferred until it is withdrawn at retirement. And contributions to a 401(k) plan actually reduce your taxable income. But figuring out how to manage the assets in your retirement plan can be confusing, particularly in times of financial uncertainty.

All the stocks in an index have at least one element in common. They might trade on the same stock market exchange, belong to the same industry, or have similar market capitalizations. Some of the more widely known indexes are the Dow, the S&P 500, the Nasdaq Composite, the Wilshire 5000, and the Russell 2000.

Diversification is a basic principle of investing. Spreading your holdings among several different asset classes (e.g., stocks, bonds, etc.) lessens your potential loss in any one investment. Do the same for the assets in your retirement plan. Keep in mind, however, that diversification does not guarantee against investment loss; it is a method used to help reduce investment risk.

If you’re concerned, take a look at that company’s rating. The four main insurance company rating agencies are A.M. Best, Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch Ratings. You can access these services online, or you should be able to find copies of these guides at your local library.

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