By-and-large, savvy investors and experts are pulling their money out without delay. Even 401-k’s can be transferred to safe-havens within your selections of available funds.

From there you can continue your contributions, then you can jump back into the market when things seem to start to turn around.

As I was told you only loose money when you withdraw your money, not transferring it to safer alternatives.

I know, this is called market timing, but, if there was every a need to time the market now is it! I

In the regular day-to-day market during normal times market timing is not recommended, but this is self preservation.

This morning I read and article by a gentleman with a PHD in finance, he call the recent events the result of what’s called a “secular” market and may take up to 15 years for a full recovery. Who has that many years to wait!

I for one have sat-tight and watched my retirement essentially disappear, I think doing nothing would be a great disservice to ones self.

When I get the green light, I’ll transfer back to the same funds I had for the same amount or more than when I pulled them out and ride the wave back up.

Desperate times require desperate measures, market timing does not seem so risky at the moment…

Dare I say I told you so? Advice such as this is outdated and quite simply wrong re-read my original post dated July 18th and ask who’s advice you should have followed!

Sorry did not mean to imply that you did or did not for that matter, just that it is the typical advice given by such. I am merely offering a counterpoint based on my opinion and that of some others. While I am by no means saying that day trading ones 401k money is a good idea (actually one of the worst things you can do) It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see trends in the market and to limit ones exposure during these severe downward trends. I don’t think anyone is predicting the US economy is going to turn around overnight and suddenly we have a great market again. In my opinion, I think we might see bottom at around 10,500 – 10,000 over the next quarter or two until it stabilizes and slowly makes a comeback. Granted this is merely a somewhat educated guess on my part so do as you will. But, Understand that as I said before it is your money and it is in your best interests too educatate yourself. While one can summize that over the long term you will still make money by leaving your money put and not changing your investements within your 401k (with the possible exception of a complete market crash), I counter with the fact that you can make much more by minimizing loss’s in downward trends. Nobody is going to accurately predict the bottom nor the top but if you can catch it within 25% of each which really isn’t that hard to do, you will find yourself in a much better position at retirement.