Should I change strategy during a crash?

Should I Change Strategy During a Crash?

Red. It's everywhere. Your portfolio is bleeding, the news is screaming "recession," and every instinct tells you to do something. But is the right move to change your entire investment strategy?

While it feels like you should be hitting the eject button, financial history often tells a different story. Sticking to a disciplined plan, even when it’s uncomfortable, is usually the best way to protect and grow your wealth for the long haul.

Understanding Market Cycles and Crashes

Market crashes feel like the end of the world, but they're a normal, if painful, part of investing. They happen. In fact, historical data shows the S&P 500 has dropped more than 5% in nearly every year since the 1980s.

The good news? They don't last forever. According to research from major financial institutions, smaller 5%-10% drops typically recover in about three months. Even bigger corrections often bounce back in around eight months.

Think back to the 2008 financial crisis. Investors who panicked and sold at the bottom missed a 17% recovery gain the very next year. That single decision—staying put—made a massive difference.

Key Strategies for Managing a Crash

Stick to Your Financial Plan

This is why you made a plan in the first place. A solid financial plan is your roadmap through stormy weather, outlining your goals and risk tolerance.

When the market gets choppy, don't grab the wheel and swerve. Go back to your map. It was created with a cool head to prevent emotional decisions made in a panic.

Diversification: Your Safety Net

You've heard it a thousand times: don't put all your eggs in one basket. A balanced portfolio of stocks, bonds, and cash can help cushion the blow during a downturn.

It isn't a perfect shield—the classic 60/40 portfolio still fell 25.1% in 2022. But diversification generally smooths out the ride and reduces the sting of a sharp drop in one particular asset.

Dollar-Cost Averaging

This is a simple but powerful idea: invest the same amount of money on a regular schedule, no matter what the market is doing. It’s an automatic process that removes emotion from the equation.

When you use dollar-cost averaging, you naturally buy more shares when prices are low and fewer when they're high. This lowers your average cost over time and prevents the classic mistake of trying to time the market perfectly.

Predefined "Trip Wires"

Think of these as pre-planned fire drills for your portfolio. A "trip wire" is a specific market drop—say, 20%-25%—that you decide on in advance.

If the market hits that trigger, it’s not a signal to panic sell. It’s simply your cue to calmly review your portfolio and rebalance if necessary. This makes any changes deliberate, not desperate.

Real-World Examples and Scenarios

From the Great Depression of 1929 to the recent volatility of 2020-2022, the lesson remains surprisingly consistent. Those who held on through the fear eventually saw their investments recover.

The 2020-2022 period was especially tricky because both stocks and bonds fell at the same time, challenging old diversification rules. Even so, the core principle of staying invested for the long term proved its worth once again.

Common Mistakes and Considerations

• Panic Selling: It’s the number one portfolio killer. Selling in a downturn just locks in your losses and puts you on the sidelines when the recovery inevitably begins.
• Market Timing: Trying to guess the market's bottom is a fool's errand. It's incredibly difficult, and most who try end up with worse results than if they had just stayed invested.
• Ignoring Liquidity Needs: Make sure you have an emergency fund. This cash reserve prevents you from being forced to sell your investments at the worst possible time to cover an unexpected expense.

Bottom Line

So, should you change your strategy during a crash? For most people, the answer is a firm "no." The smarter move is to trust the plan you already have.

Focus on what you can control. Stick to your plan, keep your portfolio diversified, and use automated strategies like dollar-cost averaging to maintain discipline. Market crashes are temporary storms, not a permanent winter for your investments.

Feeling unsure if your current plan can handle the heat? Use our Risk Tolerance Questionnaire to see if your portfolio still aligns with your long-term goals.