Investments strategy with new administration?

[WM75Guy]

Getting back to the original topic, not that I haven't enjoyed reading about the fires and prevention, I had the biggest losses on the stock market I have ever had Monday. I am invested mainly in tech mutual funds and I lost back all the way to where I was in September of last year. Last time this happened I only lost half as much and it took just one month to make it back. Hopefully it will only take a couple months this time.

Remember, you don't actually lose money until you take it out of the market. And I'm not taking any out until I have to!

RSKY

Our ETFs have a high % in Information Tech so we lost some as well. Have made it up as of today. Crude oil is down so that hurts as well with oil stocks and royalties. But we are staying the course as we don't have to cash out or draw from these funds. Higher price for natural gas is making up some for the drop in crude prices.

 

[JasperFrank]

One of my biggest concerns is a careless smoker tossing a butt in the dry grass along the highway near our forest during a drought. It's a beautifully healthy forest with about 20,000 trees of mixed hardwoods and pines. 9-10 species of oaks, hickory, butternut, walnut, tulip poplar, black locust by the thousands, cherry, sassafras, white pines... tons of shrubs, crab apple, etc around the edge. Been working on it since 1989. I try and keep the grass mowed along the highway as best I can.

This became big deal when folks up the hill, from us had a pot farm. They had "bud" tenders, and they would flick cigs along the road. I notified the owners and the tenders had a serious sit down and talk.

 

[California]

went to cash until we see what happens.

That's probably the 'prudent man' best practice currently!

We haven't needed to draw down savings. Now 25 years after I retired (and put two kids through Berkeley, no debt), they're still growing. So holding for our kids to have money to make a good life - eventually, after the dust settles - seems preferable to immediately paying significant capital gains taxes.

In the short term I think we may see some extremes.

 

[RSKY]

Sorry for your losses.

DIVERSIFY!!!

S&P500 tied funds do very well over time. They are more diversified and less risky compared to specific sectors.

In 1989 we had a forest planted. Probably 20 different species of trees total. The reason: if one species gets diseased, infected, infested, etc... the forest still grows.

Good S&P500 managers do the work of pruning and adding assets for you. There are plenty of good funds out there. Don't put all your eggs in the tech basket.

Good luck.


View attachment 2410083

I have a S&P 500 Index Fund. Over the years It has done half as well as my Select Semiconductor Fund. FSELX was about +8% for the year until this week. It drops like this but always comes back up in a month or two. Over the years it has been my biggest earner and I have most of my investment tied up in it. Currently after this drop it is about $32, last April it was $28. Usually I move everything to it and keep minimum amounts in other funds when it crashes like this. I also have the grands invested solely in that fund. But they won't get it or even know about it until I kick the bucket. That investment is for decades instead of years.

The chart will move if you put your pointer on it and slide it over. Then you can see the ten year yield.


Fidelity fund performance data as of 12/31/2024, all other fund data as of 12/31/2024 unless otherwise noted
Find a mutual fund

												Expense Ratio	Morningstar
Action				Name	Morningstar Category	YTD # (Daily)	1 Yr	3 Yr	5 Yr	10 Yr	Life of Fund	Net †	Gross ‡	Overall
				Fidelity® Select Semiconductors Portfolio (FSELX)	Technology	-1.55%	+43.51%	+18.34%	+30.60%	+25.99%	+14.94%	0.65%	0.65%	239	Buy
				Fidelity® 500 Index Fund (FXAIX)	Large Blend	+3.30%	+25.00%	+8.93%	+14.51%	+13.09%	+11.03%	0.015%	0.015%	1280	Buy

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[riptides]

Getting back to the original topic, not that I haven't enjoyed reading about the fires and prevention, I had the biggest losses on the stock market I have ever had Monday. I am invested mainly in tech mutual funds and I lost back all the way to where I was in September of last year. Last time this happened I only lost half as much and it took just one month to make it back. Hopefully it will only take a couple months this time.

Remember, you don't actually lose money until you take it out of the market. And I'm not taking any out until I have to!

RSKY

Not LOL, but yeah....

It was a wake up call for AI, and the techs paid for it. More so than the rest of the market. I seem to have re-couped though....

It will get more interesting with the AI stock alignments now going forward.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I moved 85% of my roth to S&P 500, the 15% to tech. This is the last thing I plan to use to withdraw $$ from. Using up my IRA's first, Land if I need it but hoping to leave that to family.

Speaking of land... I got a tax reassessment notice yesterday. Property I bought in 2012 has increased in value over double 2.2 to be exact. The notice stated don't contest it just because the percentages have increased or you can't afford to pay it. Sheesh...

This is a timber tract so I don't have to pay out of pocket the full tax amount. I feel for the other folks who don't have it defined as farm status. I am going to contest it though... If you don't contest it now there is no way to contest it later.

 

[riptides]

... The notice stated don't contest it just because the percentages have increased or you can't afford to pay it. Sheesh...

....

I'd be all up in someone's face about the wording of that notice. That is a bold statement to give to your residents.

 

[kenmbz]

I contested my last house and won the first time, the next year the town put out a notice.

If the difference of contested is not at least 150K over comparables it will be rejected.

So they pretty much blocked any way of contesting any increase.

that's 150 thousand over other similar houses valuation.
So as long as they raise everyone the same, no a chance in h3ll you are going to even be heard, no less win.

We moved.

 

[riptides]

I contested my last house and won the first time, the next year the town put out a notice.

If the difference of contested is not at least 150K over comparables it will be rejected.

So they pretty much blocked any way of contesting any increase.

that's 150 thousand over other similar houses valuation.
So as long as they raise everyone the same, no a chance in h3ll you are going to even be heard, no less win.

We moved.

yeah...I moved some twenty years ago in a situation just like yours.

I hopped across a county line. Differences were night and day. Just crazy.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I contested my last house and won the first time, the next year the town put out a notice.

If the difference of contested is not at least 150K over comparables it will be rejected.

So they pretty much blocked any way of contesting any increase.

that's 150 thousand over other similar houses valuation.
So as long as they raise everyone the same, no a chance in h3ll you are going to even be heard, no less win.

We moved.

I had heard of people talking about doubling prices of insurance and taxes. Seems crazy to me that this remote piece of dirt would get hit that way.

I have contested a house/land I had in another county and won those about 2 decades ago. I hadn't tried this county before, hadn't needed to. I just wish I had a bought more before now. We'll see how it goes.

Their wording indicates the chances are slim to get it appealed.